LA Bella
by MelMasen
Summary: After devoting two years to writing her novel, Bella moves to Los Angeles to live with her best friends from NYU, Alice and Rosalie. Who does she meet on the plane ride there and why are there people screaming his name? AH, Canon Couples, Lemons later!
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone, I was running this idea through my head yesterday and wrote down every detail while at work -which happens to be produce dept until I finish school, coincidence? Nah :). I decided it couldn't hurt to post it. Please let me know what you think, I'm new at this writing thing. It's sort of my second story ever. There will be lemons later but not too much later! I'll get the next chapter up within a couple days, and it will be longer. Enjoy!

All characters are owned by Stephenie Meyer.

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I didn't know who was next to me. I felt the depression as the person sat down into the large seat in first class. Even if I looked up from my train of thought, I still wouldn't have known he was a famous actor. Maybe it was my slow social life since Alice and Rose moved to Los Angeles for their new jobs two years ago. Maybe it was the crazy studying and paper writing I did for the four years of college the girls and I spent in New York. Or maybe it was because I've been shoved up my novel's ass for the last two years, intent on becoming a published author. Either way, I didn't know who the man was who was seated next to me on my flight from JFK to LAX. I actually didn't even notice him until I took a break from my novel about an hour into the four hour flight.

I had an interesting thought related to my book as I was walking onto the plane, and immediately whipped out my notebook, twisted my hair up into a tight ponytail, and threw on my reading glasses. I was useless to the outside world for two hours, scrupulously jotting down my ideas. We waited for over an hour on the tarmac, and were an hour into the flight itself when I finally came up for air. Pleased with my addition, I glanced up and took a look around the cabin. The flight was full, but first class was amazing. I'm glad I relented to Alice and Rose- they were begging me to allow them to upgrade me from coach. I pulled my ponytail out and shook my hair, took off my glasses, and gave a big stretch with my arms over my head. I reached for my Ipod to listen to my "Relax" playlist and plugged in the little headphones. I was in the process of putting them on when I glanced to my right at my seatmate. The most beautiful pair of striking green eyes met and held my gaze.

I'd been toying with the idea of moving to LA with Alice and Rose for some time now- I only stayed in New York to write. I knew the city life of LA would never allow me to concentrate, yet I'd grown accustomed to the hustle and bustle of New York City. It was home now. After graduating from NYU, I gave myself two years for my dream of becoming an author to become a reality. I saved up in college working at a campus bookstore. I had enough, if stretched tightly, for two years exactly. I was almost finished with my masterpiece, and truth be told, I really missed my friends. Rose had been trying to convince me for the last six months to move in with them in LA, because she has great connections working in PR, and for the cheap rent. Finally, I caved. Honestly, I was getting writer's block. I figured a change of scenery couldn't hurt, and as long as I work while writing, I can extend my two years out a bit more. I just couldn't give up my dream when I was so close to finishing. If this writing gig gets me nowhere, I might go back to school to get my PhD- although failing with this book would break me for sure.

I'd been living virtually solitary, save for Skype with Rose, Alice, and finally after many frustrating attempts, my mother. Renee lives in Europe with her long time boyfriend, Phil. They've been traveling for over a year, and plan on staying for a couple more. She's a free spirit; I think that's how I was able to move across the country to attend college, where I met the girls. Charlie wouldn't be convinced to try Skype, and I wasn't foolish enough to try. The phone is just fine for him, and I don't even think he owns a computer. Charlie still lives in good old Forks, Washington, and although I miss him I know Sue is taking good care of him. He mentioned in his own words how happy he is that I'm moving closer, at least to the "West Coast is the Best Coast" as he calls it. I never said my dad was cool.

So here I am on my way to LA to be with my friends, and on my way to try to make something of my English/Creative Writing double major. I'll be living with the girls, paying what I can and working at a Whole Foods in the produce department. Hey, at times like this, I'm thankful just to get a job.

The green eyes that I swear will haunt me until the day I die were still gazing into mine.

EPOV

I noticed her the moment I saw my seat. She was in the window seat typing away at her Mac Notebook, pausing briefly only to turn it off and switch to pen and paper when the engines turned on. She was concentrating hard and just so… _into_ it. She looked so in the zone creatively that all I could do was look at her. She wore glasses and her long dark brown hair was pulled up into a high, tight ponytail. She had a pale, long and slender neck- it was beautiful… and I've never said that about a girl's neck before. That wasn't exactly manly of me to say, but she was _beautiful_. I knew she wouldn't notice me glancing at her, but I sort of wanted her to if I was being honest with myself. It was nice to be ignored though- for once…

Then I got to thinking, what will happen when she notices me? Would she recognize me? I don't think I want her to… I've been having problems lately with women pretending to be interested just to further their careers. It would be nice to see a genuine woman still exists in this shallow world. Not like Tanya… why did I ever go out with her? Queen Shallow, Em called her. And what am I talking about? Dating this woman I haven't even said one word to? Talk about getting ahead of yourself…

I went to school at University of Washington in Seattle and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Biology/Pre-Med. I had every intention of going to Med School, when fate intervened. I was at my brother, Emmett's, hockey game in LA with my family when we got on the jumbotron. About half an hour later, a talent agent named Hannah Siobhan came up to me and asked me if I ever wanted to act. She gave me her card and told me to let her know. I sat on the idea for about a month before I called. My first part, albeit small, was in a big budget movie. I enrolled in a couple acting classes. Pretty soon I was acting regularly and getting better parts.

I finally broke the news to my family that my life goals have changed for now and I would be putting Med School on the back burner. They were all very supportive, although my father, Carlisle, had some reservations. He was a top surgeon and had always wanted me to follow in his footsteps. I reminded him that eventually I will become a doctor because I thoroughly enjoy it but for the time being I really wanted to act. Plus, with the money I'm making, _and saving_, I won't have any loans to pay off. My family has money, but we were raised to recognize how fortunate we are, and that others are not. I know the value of a buck.

As I became a more recognized actor, women started noticing me more and more. I know I'm not an ugly dude, so I had fun with it for a while. I got into a relationship with Tanya Denali, a well-known actress, and things were really fun for a while. However, soon she only wanted to go out and got into some serious partying. She always wanted to be seen with me and I began to feel suspicious of her motives. I broke up with her when I found her cheating on me with an established actor, Jake Black. She freaked out about what it would do to her career. The tabloids had a field day with it, and it's made me weary to date anyone ever since. Even though I don't nor do I ever really think I had feelings for her, I still can't help but want to beat the shit out of Jake Black. It doesn't help that it seems like we're always up for the same roles.

I listened to music for about an hour when I saw her stir from her creative trance. I looked over just as she was releasing her mahogany waves; it smelled amazing. She took off her glasses and stretched her arms above her head. Her shirt rode up her flat stomach, revealing even more creamy skin. My eyes made their way up her lean body and over the soft swells of her breasts… _okay, need to stop looking before my pants get any tighter…_

I looked to her face just as her head moved towards me. Our eyes met and that was it. I had never seen a woman so perfect as her. Her eyes, infinite pools of chocolate brown, inviting me in; her lips the softest pillows, her cheeks tinged with the most delicate rose colored blush… I was mesmerized.

She looked down quickly, embarrassed to catch me looking at her, her cheeks took on an impossibly deeper blush. She glanced up at me again and bit her lip. A nervous habit, perhaps.

"Hi", she said, a soft smile playing on her lips. Her voice was smooth, perfect.

BPOV

"Hi", I said. Normally I would have turned away speechless to anyone this gorgeous, but his eyes made me want to confess even the most embarrassing of secrets. He was truly breathtaking. His hair was in wild disarray, and the most peculiar cross between copper and brown… _bronze_, I decided. His cheeks and jaw were chiseled and intensely masculine; any divine being would be jealous. His nose was perfectly straight, and his lips were welcoming me… just begging to be touched. Something about him made me throw my shy demeanor out the three inch thick airplane window. We were staring intently into each other's eyes as I waited for him to say something- anything.

It was a full five seconds before my shyness returned, and I was mortified. He still had said nothing. What made me so confident that he would want to talk to me? My face was painfully hot with my blush and I cursed my momentary ballsiness under my breath while turning my head towards the window.

_I look like a mess, why would he talk to me? I look… like I've been on a plane for hours! I'm a fool_-

"Hi, I'm Edward." He even sounded beautiful. "And you are?" He smiled, expectant; I very nearly swooned.

"Bella," I managed to squeak out. I took a breath and regained some composure. "It's nice to meet you, Edward." I like saying his name. His voice is deep, smooth, velvet flawlessness.

"It's nice to meet _you_, Bella." He smirked and held out his hand. Although I thought it was a little silly to shake hands, I also wanted any excuse to touch him. His hand was warm and slightly callused, his fingers slender but strong. "It looked like you were working pretty hard over there, what were you working on?"

I wasn't really ready to share my book with anyone and yet I couldn't say no. So I explained my book to him, how I had given myself two years to work on it, and hope to reap the rewards and become a published author. He listened as though what I said was the most important thing in the world.

We talked the rest of the way to LAX. We talked about everything; books, music, our friends, families. His brother plays hockey for the LA Kings, that's the first thing that brought him to LA. He thought it amazing that my mother is in Europe, just living and being free. We joked, we debated favorite cereals as kids- his was Count Chocula, mine Lucky Charms. The biggest, funniest thing we disagreed on was favorite Nickelodeon show growing up. He loved 'Are You Afraid of the Dark', and I was definitely a 'Clarissa Explains it All' girl. We both lost it when we realized both of our favorite shows had been 'Saved by the Bell'. We talked about school, when we both went to college and him one day wanting to become a doctor. I even told him all about working at the Whole Foods produce department, when I would normally be a bit embarrassed-Alice and Rose were insanely successful and I... wasn't. I was that comfortable around him. He was funny, charming, and desperately handsome.

"So you'll be the first award-winning author who started out in produce of a grocery store," he smiled to convey he wasn't making fun of me, but encouraging me.

"Pretty much that's the plan!" I said, giddy. "So what about you? What do you do, Edward?"

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So that's the first chapter! Let me know what you think, even if it's not so hot news, ok? I really respect other's opinions. Chapter two will be up soon!

-Mel


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! This one's a little shorter, but after this chapter I'll make them a lot longer. I just wanted to get into the groove and have everything set up before going into huge amounts of length. I hope you enjoy!

As always, Stephenie Meyer owns all...

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EPOV

It had been the single most amazing conversation and best flight I've ever had, hands down. We talked about everything. She cracked me up when she told me about her clumsiness, but she was always laughing along with me, and I knew she didn't think I was laughing _at_ her. She was honestly one of the funniest, most down to earth women I've ever met; not to mention insanely sexy. She acted so innocent but then she would nibble that lip and innocent thoughts were the farthest thing from my mind. It made me want to tell her to stop so that _I_ could be the one nibbling on her lip. I couldn't resist offering to shake her hand after our introductions- I knew it was silly but I had to see if her skin felt as amazing as it looks.

She asked me what I do for a living, and I knew I couldn't lie, but I really didn't want to tell her the truth exactly-yet. So I responded vaguely.

"Me? I'm actually between jobs at the moment." I'm not exactly sure why I didn't want to tell her yet. What would I say anyway? _'Funny you should ask. I'm actually a pretty famous actor and can't believe you've never heard of me'_? So I dodged the question somewhat.

I didn't lie, it's actually the truth. I really am between jobs right now. I just finished filming a movie in New York City two days ago. I stayed an extra day in my hotel to sleep in since many of the scenes were at night. Now all I want to do is get home to LA to relax and throw a few back with Em and my best friend Jas, the two guys that have been there through it all… _and see if Bella wants to see me again? _The only other thing I've missed while I was gone is my one splurge, my car, a dark blue Aston Martin Vanquish. Jas is picking me up today with it, and I can't wait to get behind the wheel. Maybe Bella needs a ride… Just then I thought of giving Bella a _different_ kind of ride…

_Enough of that…_

We continued talking the rest of the way, sometimes slipping into comfortable silences, or sharing our Ipods to listen to favorite songs. I already can't wait to see her again, I just hope she wants to go out as badly as I do.

I can't believe how nervous I am to ask Bella out, although if I think about it, it's been quite a while since I've done the asking. Usually I'm not interested enough to do anything, but nobody's fascinate me like her. I just have to make sure the right time presents itself, I don't think she'll say no… unless I've totally been reading into this all wrong.

Bella. As intelligent and funny as she is beautiful. Her name doesn't even do her justice.

Too soon, we landed.

We walked out of the plane together.

BPOV

I had an amazing time getting to know Edward, and hoped he would ask to see me again. If he doesn't, then I definitely will. I suddenly got a sinking feeling as we walked out of the plane. What if he had a girlfriend? There's no way he's single, some insanely lucky woman, who does not deserve him I'm sure, was getting their boyfriend back tonight. The thought of him going home to someone else made me feel ill. Just as I was about to fall into a funk and run straight to the store for a pint of ice cream, I heard Edward speak.

"Bella, I had a really great time with you." He sounded nervous, as though he didn't do this a whole lot. "I'd really like to call you and take you out to dinner some time, soon, if that's okay?"

Why he was acting nervous, I'll never know. Perhaps he was thinking the same as me, that I couldn't be single? Any woman would be lucky to be with him. _Oh! He's waiting for an answer._

"I would really like that, Edward," I smiled and blushed for what seems like the millionth time today, and also noticed he let out a breath of relief when he heard my answer.

We made our way to our luggage. I thought I heard a click, but chose to ignore it. I looked over at him and realized we must both be grinning like fools. He helped me grab my luggage, and we walked toward the doors. I turned to give him my number, but when I saw his face I stopped. He was looking at something behind me with a surprised expression- and not a good surprise...

Just then I was nudged out of the way and I heard people yelling his name. People were all of a sudden _everywhere_, I didn't understand it. Why were there cameras? Why are people taking pictures of Edward? Why did someone take a picture of me?! I glanced around and noticed a magazine at a kiosk. It was Edward's face. On the cover of Us Weekly. What?! The cover read, 'Edward Cullen's Rise to Fame', and under the title it read, 'the hottest actor comes back to Hollywood after filming in New York. Which lucky lady will he see first?'.

Edward. Cullen? How had I never heard of him? Oh right, I've had my nose in a book for the past two years. I had been talking to a movie star? I was beyond embarrassed! He let me go on talking about working at a grocery store? He probably felt bad for me, or just wanted to join the Mile High Club… how could I be so stupid?

I left immediately. Over the crowd of people, I thought I heard my name being called but so many people were calling his name that I could have imagined it. I grabbed the nearest cab and jumped in, fighting tears the whole way to Rose and Alice's apartment.

I was so conflicted… I thought he liked me. Why would he lie to me? Did he even lie to me? I can never see him ever again, I'll die with embarrassment. Maybe he thought I was trying to use him? I'm sure he gets women all the time trying to mooch. I'd like to think he didn't see me as that type… but he doesn't know me well at all.

I thought we had a connection… I didn't think he would use me, but do I even know him? The answer is obvious. No, I don't know him. And I never will. Because I'm a clumsy bookworm who works at a fucking grocery store. I belong there, and he belongs on the covers of magazines.

EPOV

I honestly thought the media storm would have died down while I was away. I stayed in most nights while I was filming in New York, and when I did go out I was always boring. There were no rumors going on lately. It seemed almost calm. Shit, was I wrong. I glanced up as I heard the first click of the camera. I hadn't explained anything to Bella yet. She was going to think I lied to her about everything. I looked over to where she was standing just a moment ago, but she was gone. I thought I saw a mahogany blur rush out of the airport doors into the parking lot, so I yelled her name. I saw her jump into a cab, and I bumped a few paparazzi out of the way to try to get to her in time.

Feeling defeated, I went back inside and signed a few autographs. It wasn't the fans' fault that the fucking paps were everywhere. When I walked back inside, a few reporters started probing me with questions. Thought the answers but bit my tongue and kept my mouth shut.

"Who's Bella?" _The most amazing woman…_

"Did you meet her in New York?" _Kind of…_

"Who is she?" _An author, a friend, hopefully more… my cute grocery store worker… _I chuckled at that last thought.

"Going to call Tanya tonight, Mr. Cullen?" _Ugh. _That wiped the smile clear off my face.

"Smile Edward!"

But I didn't smile. I sulked over to where Jas was meeting me. I didn't even get her number, now I'll never find her. I don't even know her last name or where she lives. Damn it!

I did know one thing- what we had on the plane was real. And I will do whatever it takes to find Bella.

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Our boy Eddie is pretty determined huh? Next chapter we find out what plan Edward has to find Bella, as well as Bella's ride to the apt/moving in! We also meet some other characters we all love!! Leave me love yallllll

-Mel


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everyone! So this one is way longer, and I think they all will be about this length from here on out, if not longer. Hope that's okay with you all. Why am I being nerdy and posting on a Friday night? Why am I not out with all my friends? Produce calls! Haha, I work tomorrow morning- bummer. Anyway, reading fics late at night is one of my fav things to do! I'm really loving all the alerts and reviews! Thanks for all the input- keep 'em coming (that's what she said)!

As per ujje, I don't own it.

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EPOV

I walked over to where Jasper was parked along the curb of the Pick Up/Drop Off area, and he got out of the driver side seat. I threw my bag down next to the car and held up my pointer finger to him to signal him to hold on a sec. I turned back around and went through the airport doors, where the paps and fans were located. I felt bad that I blew off all those people who simply wanted an autograph or a picture, so I stuck around for five or ten minutes to appease them. I also threw a quick apology to the cameraman that I bumped into on my hasty exit to try and catch Bella.

After I finished, I walked back out to Jas, who was busy on his Blackberry. He looked up at me and grinned.

"Well if it isn't the famous Edward Cullen," he chuckled. In a really fake girly voice he cried "Oh! Can I please have your autograph I just love your movies! Let's get married!" I couldn't help but laugh along. I have been asked to marry my fans before, and even though it's a little uncomfortable, it comes with the territory.

"Can it." I wasn't in the mood for that, not now.

"Ah Ed you know I'm just kidding. Dude, how about that sneak attack by the paps? Pretty heavy stuff, they were on you like white on rice man." He walked up to meet me and gave one of those handshake-hug type things that guys do.

"Are you Em now? Since when do you call me dude?" He laughed and threw me the keys to my dream car, the one thing I allowed myself to splurge on, my Vanquish.

Jasper has been my best friend since the third grade. We both excelled in school and sports growing up so we had similar interests. Instead of becoming rivals, we helped each other.

When I started acting, we both just graduated from University of Washington-Seattle, so he went to UCLA to get his PhD. He graduated early, which is unheard of for anyone short of a prodigy. Well prodigy, thy name is Jasper Whitlock. At 27, he's the youngest psychologist to own his own practice. I'd like to say for 27, I'm not doing half bad, either.

Jas is a psychologist and living in LA, so he never wants for patients. People here are crazier than anywhere else, I truly believe that. Diddy had it right- more money, more problems.

He leaned up against the back of my car while I threw my luggage in the trunk.

"Who's the lady friend, Edward?

I couldn't help the smile from spreading to my face. "Bella", was all I said.

He made a whistle sound. "She seems so have made quite an impact on you."His face turned seriously. "I know I always say this, but be careful. These women will do anything to make it in the business. You've gotta make sure she isn't just trying to get her fifteen minutes of fame by going out with you."

I chuckled. She really had no idea who I was. But quickly my chuckle turned into a depressing sigh. _I can't believe the way it ended. _Jas noticed the sigh. "What is it, man?"

I took a deep breath. "Actually, that's kind of the thing… she doesn't know who I am. Or, she didn't. I was going to somehow let her know who I was, but then the paparazzi surrounded me. I didn't get a chance to tell her anything about what I do. But let's be honest, Jas, what would I have even said? How would you tell someone you're a famous actor without looking completely full of yourself? Now she thinks I lied to her, and what's even worse is she left before I got a chance to get her number. I don't even know her last name, Jas." I finished with a collective exhale.

I threw the rest of my bags into the back seat and made my way to the passenger side door. Jasper looked at me quizzically.

"You feeling okay? You don't even want to drive your Vanquish? She really must have done a number on you, man."

"Nah, I just need to think" I grumbled. Jasper got into the driver's side and threw the car into the ignition. We pulled out of the parking lot in my $130,000 car. Jas switched lanes once we got on the freeway and looked over to me.

"Hey, we can figure this out. We'll find her, don't worry." He gave me a reassuring smile. He always was really great with calming people, maybe that's why he's such a sought after and amazing psychologist. "Let's start from the beginning, let's start with what we do know."

"Good idea," I said. I gathered my thoughts. What do I know about Bella? Gorgeous. Funny. Smells awesome. Not helping… "She went to NYU, and is from Forks, Washington. She's moving here to be with her friends, Alice and Rosalie. Alice is a fashion designer and Rosalie owns a PR firm here in LA.

"Okay, those are good," He sat, thinking for a moment. "Well, you could always look for a PR firm for Rosalie, contact her, and then ask her for Bella's information."

"Good point" my mood was lifting already. I was beginning to feel excited about finding her.

"Okay, what else do you remember her telling you?" Jasper probed.

"Oh, she's working at a store to earn extra money while she finishes writing and looking for a publisher."

"Really? What's it called?"

"She hasn't given it a name yet"- I started to say but Jasper interrupted.

"Not the book you idiot, the store! Where is she working?" he explained.

"Whole Foods, in the Produce section." I thought about her having to work there and instantly had the urge to tell her to quit. I can more than cover her living expenses and anything else she needs. She shouldn't have to get her delicate hands dirty, ever. But something tells me she wouldn't be up for me to pay her way. She's much too independent for that, and that's part of why I respect her so much.

"Cullen, you're a smart guy, but this chick is making you stupid." He said plainly. At that time we arrived at his office, and he got out. I scooted to the driver's side window and rolled it down.

"What the hell, man?" I was so confused. Why was I an idiot? What did I say? Jasper turned around to me but kept walking backwards to his office.

"Edward, call the fucking Whole Foods place. Yeah there's more than one in LA but it won't take long to call, and I bet they'd be more than accommodating if they know that a movie star wants some info. Plus, Bella's not a very common name, and you know what department she's working in, so it should be pretty easy."

Realization dawned on my face. I could do that. It would almost be too easy.

"Jasper Austin Whitlock! If I was a chick I would kiss you. Thanks a lot, I owe you." I suddenly felt lighter. Optimistic. "And thanks for picking me up! I'll see you later tonight. Beers at my place?"

"Sounds good, I'll be there around seven. I'll bring some steaks. Tell Em to bring his own beer if he's going to go crazy like last time" I chuckled as he rolled his eyes.

"Will do, see ya."

I pulled out onto the road again, rolled down all my windows, and sped home to my comfortable apartment downtown. It was a beautiful late summer day in Los Angeles, and it was just starting to cool down. I saw the paparazzi tailing me in my rearview mirror, but not even that could deter my upbeat mood. I can find her, and when I do I'll explain everything… hopefully she'll give me another chance.

I dialed 411. "Yeah, I need the numbers to every Whole Foods in Los Angeles- the produce department. Thanks."

I smiled as I drove home. I would see her soon.

BPOV

As soon as I got to the apartment, I went into the restroom to rinse off my face. I need to calm down. Once I finished, I went back into the apartment, impressed at the size. It was a large, open floor plan with a great kitchen- my favorite part of any home. I was also surprised at how dark it was. What time was it? Six? The girls should be getting home within the half hour. I decided to take a peek at my room and unpack as much as I could.

_Ha…No real sense in unpacking. Alice will just dig through everything and discard everything-_ A noise from somewhere in the house. A floor creak? No, that's not it. It was something bigger… something moving around.

_Wow Bella. Get a grip._

I ignored my intuition and walked deeper into the spacious apartment. Alice told me my room would be the biggest one at the end of the hallway. When I asked her why, she responded in typical Alice fashion- _'Uh… Bella! The closet is way too small for both mine and Rose's wardrobes!'_ As though it was obvious. I suppose I should have known, though. I laughed out loud, meandering throughout the apartment. I found my door in the nearly pitch black hallway. I saw a light flicker from the end of the door of my new room. I told myself it was the sun…

I was finally to the door and thought I heard something. _Great, I am totally going to be killed_. I rolled my eyes at my dramatics. My curiosity and desire to lie down overruled the need to save myself from a potential thief waiting for me in the shadows. I gently push the door open when-

"Surprise!!!" I heard two voices scream. From the little closet in the corner of my room Alice and Rose jumped out, doubled over in laughter.

"Guys! Holy shit!" I was breathing heavily, nearly shocked to death. "Holy Christ! You scared the absolute crap out of me! What the hell I thought I was going to be murdered!" The girls' faces were beat red from laughing. I soon joined along and we were all cracking up. Just then I felt a huge force tackle me to the small twin bed I had shipped from Charlie's in Forks.

"Sorry Bella, we thought it would be funny! We're just so excited that you're actually here, we took off work today to get your room ready. We wanted to surprise you so… surprise! Do you like it?" Alice said in her hyper voice. I looked around as Rose flipped on the light, and was taken aback.

The room was huge, so huge in fact that my little twin bed was even more dwarfed than normal. I was planning on buying some furniture second-hand, but I guess there won't be any need for it. There was a large dresser that I'm positive will hold all of my clothes in about two drawers, and across the room was a great work desk already stocked with a printer, paper, and pens- not even the cheap pens you buy in a pack, but the really good pens! I could see myself working on my book late at night with the amazing lamp they bought. I looked over the closet, which is anything but small, but too small for the girls. Apart from my bed, Rose and Alice bought all the furniture, even though I told them not to. They really are the best friends anyone could ask for.

"Rose, get your ass over here" I yelled. Rose dove onto the bed with Alice and me and even though it was a tight fit on a twin bed, it was home.

"Thank you guys. For Everything. You've taken me in, a poor produce worker with an aspiration to write, and I can only hope someday I can pay you back. I've missed you bitches," I looked over at them and we all burst into laughter. It was so great to be home.

"So how was your flight, B?" Rose asked. I briefly reminisced on my flight and meeting Edward.

"It was really great; I got a lot of work done." I started to blush because I knew that wasn't the reason it was great. Rose noticed. Bitch.

"Oh, that's why you're blushing like a nun in a sex shop? Uh-uh Bells, spill. You met someone on the flight didn't you?!" Rose demanded, and you don't deny Rose anything. Maybe that's the reason she runs such a successful PR business, Roshale PR. Her firm represents over two hundred A-listers, athletes, and even royalty. Rose personally represents over twenty on her own; if she had balls they'd be made of steel. It doesn't hurt that she's also smokin' hot.

"Oh my God, Bella! You did meet someone! Tell us!" Alice squeaked. She's always insanely overexcited, but her mother is the same way. It's one of the things I love about her, also one of the things I _don't_ love about her- I love it after I've had my morning coffee, and _definitely_ not before. Alice worked with Yves Saint Laurent for her internship and they loved her so much, they offered her a job out of FIT. She's recently been working on a line of her own, although she's not ready to leave YSL just yet.

"Okay, I did meet someone, but it was over before it even started." I thought back to the moment I looked up from my notebook. Edward's eyes peering into mine, the magnificent emerald green. How long we gazed into each other's eyes I don't know. It could have been seconds; it could have been hours.

"Well? Who is he? What's wrong? Why are you sad?" Alice's brain was going a mile a minute, and this is one of those times I did not like her hyper attitude. I sort of just wanted to let it all soak in, but I knew I couldn't just leave my friends hanging.

"His name is Edward. We talked on the plane for hours about everything. We really had a connection, but when we landed I found out he was kind of" -I didn't want to give specifics until I absolutely had to- "wasn't telling the entire truth. I'm not sure if we even belong together, he's in a whole other league." I finished telling them all I was willing to tell tonight. I thought back to the spark of electricity I felt when I shook his hand, and how silly our Nickelodeon debate was. Now I'll never see him again. That truth weighed down on me and all I wanted to do now was sleep.

"Bella, the only way someone would be out of your league is if they were beneath you. He probably wasn't good enough for you anyway, you deserve better than that." Rose could be really motherly when she wanted. She comes off harsh but beneath that exterior is someone so caring.

"Yeah Bella, LA is full of so many hot men you'll forget about Edward in no time. Just the other day I was walking down Sunset and guess who I saw! Robert Pattinson!" She looked over to me and her face fell a little. She knows I'm clueless to Hollywood actors, or was anyway… "Oh Bella, he's the guy from that Twilight movie I made you come see with me last winter! Anyway what I'm trying to tell you is that this city is, like, the Mecca for dating opportunities!" I couldn't help but laugh a little. She was obviously excited.

"So you're saying your type is a pale vampire who drinks animal blood? Gross Al," Rose quipped. We all cracked up at that, and talked for a couple more hours before our positions on the bed made us get up. At 25 we're still young, but three grown women on a twin bed will make anyone's back hurt after a few hours.

It was ten-thirty when the girls left my room. Rose had an early conference call, and Alice wanted to get up early to shop. What Alice didn't mention, not that I needed her to, is that she isn't shopping for herself. She is buying a "Los Angeles Bella" wardrobe since my wardrobe was deemed "too New York". She lectured me for a good ten minutes about the importance of wearing bright colors in LA, as opposed to dark tones that went well with New York.

_Whatever_.

She would do it with or without my help. She also never said if I was going with her, so I'll just let her wake me up if she makes me go. It'll be a great way to get to know the city. Plus, I don't start at Whole Foods for another two days. Maybe shopping with Alice tomorrow won't be so bad… maybe I'm crazy for even thinking it won't be that bad…

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I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, anything you hope to see next time? Let me know, your input is important! It'll be a few days before I update again, unless I miraculously get like 923748 reviews all telling me to update stat! Enjoy your weekend, all!

-Mel


	4. Chapter 4

Hey everyone! I'm back with my longest chapter yet- I hope you like it! Also, there's an Author Note at the bottom. I need your help in deciding what EPOV you want to see. Read at the bottom for more info!

Oh! I almost forgot- links for the girls' outfits and their apartment can be found in my profile.

There's a little bit of lemonishness in this chap, nothing huge, just an FYI. Okay I'll shutup!

Thanks for reading, as always :)

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Don't own itttt, but SM does.

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My alarm clock took the shape of a five-foot-tall pixie with jet black hair.

"Rise and shine sleepyhead!" She yelled, lightly bouncing on my mattress. That's a no-no, especially before my morning coffee.

"Alice, you better have"-she interrupted me before I finished- "Coffee? Check!" she exclaimed proudly. I grumbled my thanks as I sat up.

"What time is it, Al?" I asked in my typical gravelly morning voice. My eyes squinted open to look at the alarm clock, but she answered me before I was able to make out the neon numbers.

"It's 8:00, which means you have exactly one hour to get your perky little ass into the shower and get yourself dressed. I set out a gorgeous tank and jeans for you- and flats! You're welcome; they're on your desk. I bought some bagels from Rose's and my favorite place, Bagel Broker! We can eat on the way, chop chop!" She danced out of my room before I had the chance to say anything more; and definitely before I had the chance to veto her outfit of choice.

I grabbed my cup of coffee and meandered into the spacious bathroom. I turned the water on hotter than normal, eager to ease my sore muscles. Five hours on a plane- three turned sideways- will do that to anyone. Although looking back, it was totally worth it.

I stepped into the steaming hot shower and gasped at the great heat. After a minute I felt my muscles relax, and my mind wandered to the day before.

Edward was too sexy for his own good, and I couldn't stop wondering about what his body looked like beneath the simple v-neck t-shirt shirt he wore. From what I could see, it was buff, but not too buff. Such long and lean muscle and his biceps looked so firm. I allowed myself to imagine that he was in the shower with me.

My hand trailing over my breasts and leading down my soaked stomach wasn't mine, but his. He was whispering in my ear, telling me how beautiful I was, how badly he wanted me. I began making little circles on my clit, rubbing and kneading while I felt myself getting closer to finishing already. I thought about what he would look like coming and I had to hold in my moan as I found my sudden, intense release; my legs nearly giving out with the power of my orgasm.

I opened my eyes and immediately blushed when I realized what I'd done. Of course it wasn't the first time I'd enjoyed some time _one on one_, but it was the first time I'd ever imagined a specific person with me.

I've had boyfriends, dated them briefly, but never really felt satisfied with them- really satisfied. I've heard about when you're more connected with someone, the sex is better. Maybe I;ve never been connected to someone that way, yet. I'm not a virgin, but I've still never had an orgasm during sex. I wonder if Edward could have changed that… _I need to stop thinking about this now before I stay in here all day. But I should definitely do that more often, talk about intense!_ Whew.

I rinsed off and stepped out of the shower. As I dried off, I thought about why I ran off yesterday. I felt betrayed at the time, angry that he hadn't told me who he really is. But how are you supposed to tell someone you're famous without sounding like an absolute ass? I can see why he wouldn't or couldn't tell me. I wish I would have realized all of this before leaving…

I walked into my room and closed the door. I sighed deeply when I realized it was too late. He's gone, and I'm a bitch. He's probably moved on anyway to someone sexy, rich, and famous, like he is. It was foolish of me to even entertain the idea that he felt the same way I felt about him.

I shook my head in order to clear it and looked down at the outfit Alice picked for me. It was my size. I laughed as I thought about her- who had assuredly already bought an entire wardrobe for me before I even moved here. Going together today is just for her. I decided then that I wouldn't be the typical Bella. It's time to enjoy life a little bit- enjoy shopping with one of my best friends. I would be a new Bella. I'll actually try to enjoy shopping- it's the least I could do for Alice.

Once I got my outfit on, I discovered I absolutely loved it. It was an aqua/teal scoop neck tank top with dark skinny leg jeans. I didn't feel suffocated in them because they were stretch, and I loved my shoes. They were a Steve Madden silver flat. Comfortable. _I love you, Alice._ I blow dried my hair and left it wavy, gathering it to the side of my head as I put it in a low side ponytail. I wanted to show off the awesome knitting on the back of my shirt, and I left a few tendrils loose by the side of my face. After guzzling my coffee, brushing my teeth, and applying some lip gloss, I was ready to head out. I grabbed my clutch and was off to find Alice.

Even the hallway looked roomy. I walked down to Alice's room and knocked on the door.

"Come in Bella!" Alice chimed. I walked through the door and gasped- it was gorgeous. The walls were white, not eggshell, not cream, white. Her large four poster bed had white and cream pillows covering it. Everything in her room was a hue of white, save for the black screen on her fireplace. Yes, she had a fireplace in her bedroom. French doors led out onto her balcony. It was every princess' fantasy. _Leave it to Alice…_

"Alice, your room! It's beautiful!"

"Thanks! I've been working on it for a while, and finally found that gold picture frame from a flea market last week and knew my masterpiece was finished! We can do something with your room if you'd like. You know, make it more Bella-esque?" I could see her practically salivating at the idea. Her puppy eyes were out in full force and her bottom lip was pushed out. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight. But what could I do? I have no design experience. A pair of the greenest eyes flashed in my mind. Hey, if I never see the guy again- my heart felt heavy at the thought- then at least he helped me discover my favorite color.

"Actually, Alice, I do have an idea…"She looked like a kid on Christmas morning. "I'd like to paint the walls green"

"Wow, that's ballsy! I like it! It would go really well with your light furniture Rose and I put in there. We can pick up the paint tomorrow- let's go!" We headed down the hallway toward the front door, when she stopped.

"Oh! Want to take a quick look around? We made it pretty dark last night to freak you out," she giggled. I was curious, so I readily agreed.

We walked to the right and through the small but stylish dining room, which I'm sure is never used. Rose and Alice aren't very good at cooking. And by not very good, I mean they probably would ruin boiled water. In the center of the room was a large oval table, and I immediately thought of the dinner parties we could have here.

Next to the dining room was the kitchen, which I loved. It was so light and open, and the range was amazing! It had a large hood above it, and was nestled in white marble countertops. Yes, this is home. I should pinch myself.

"Alice! Jesus, you can't even cook!" I yelled.

"Yeah, but isn't it pretty?" she smiled as her small hand caressed the marble. She walked out of the kitchen. "Okay, last room. The living room! My favorite room in the apartment. It's perfect for movie nights. You game for one tonight?"

"Yeah, that sounds great" I said as I took in the large comfortable living room. It really is perfect for a movie night. There was an L-shaped couch nestled up against the back walls with a big, soft bench to set popcorn on. Across from the couch was a huge 52-inch flat screen. DVD's adorned the sides of the television, encased in a stylish cabinet. _This place is awesome._ _I'm never moving out._

"Did you decorate this place? It's fantastic" I said in awe.

"Rose and I both did, although you know Rose. She's not too picky, plus she's just happy the place has a garage so she can work on her car." I laughed. That's so Rose.

"That's true, we live with our own grease monkey. Let's get going- where are the bagels I was promised?" I looked around the kitchen but didn't see them.

"Come on, they're in my car waiting for us. This is going to be a blast!"

We walked out into the large entryway. Alice was prancing out the door in a gorgeous lemon-colored dress and brown sandal… things. To me they looked like death traps; to her they were like tennis shoes. We got on the elevator and Alice pushed the down arrow.

We walked through the indoor parking garage and got into her car. "Aw, Alice, you match your car." Alice owned a yellow Porsche 911. Ridiculous. Cars are just something to drive, not a fashion statement. "Did you do that on purpose?" I asked.

"My Bella, I do nothing by mistake. You know this" she looked at me and we burst out laughing. God I missed her. I missed them both. We pulled out of the garage and out of the parking complex. We were having a great time listening to her 80's playlist and reminiscing about our college days. We were halfway to Melrose when Alice changed the subject.

"Bella…" Alice started. I knew by her tone what she wanted to know. She wanted to know what happened between this Edward person and me. Now's as good a time as any, and once I get this out we can go on with our day. I decided to see how well known this Edward Cullen character really was.

"You don't have to tell me, but I know there's something else. There's something else there, B."

I looked at her as we stopped at a light at a busy intersection. I held her gaze. She knew I was going to open up.

I took a breath, and slowly said, "Edward Cullen." Her face went from confusion, to disbelief –which I knew would happen… why would he ever want to date me?- to shock, all in about two seconds.

"Edward Cullen. Edward Cullen is the Edward you met on the plane?! Isabella Marie Swan! Holy shit! How did you not fall apart when you first saw him? He's like super A-list! Personally, I prefer blondes, but damn! Edward fucking Cullen?!" _Okay, so I guess he is pretty well known._

"Alice, I haven't exactly been going to movies and buying gossip magazines the last two years, have I?"

"You're right. Sorry Bella. So how did it all happen? Start from the beginning and if you value your life at all you'll leave nothing out!" She threatened. She _was_ freakishly strong for how small she was.

So I told her about everything- his eyes, our conversation, leaving nothing out. We parked her car and got out just as I was getting to the bad part.

"Okay, it sounds like you guys made a real connection, so what gives? What went wrong?" She probed. I went on to explain the paparazzi and the fans swarming him, and how I found out who he was by looking at the cover of an Us Weekly. I told her about me leaving.

"And the worst part, Al, is that he never got my number. I left before he had a chance, but I was just so overwhelmed by everything. I have no way of contacting him, and I'm starting to see that I overreacted. He never actually lied to me, he just didn't mention that he was practically God's gift to women.

Alice put her arms around me and nodded at me sympathetically. "Don't worry. I have a feeling things will all work out. I bet he's going crazy trying to find you." Could she be right? Probably not. He's forgotten all about me by now. But letting Alice in on what happened had put me in a better mood. I gave her a genuine smile.

"Come on, let's go shopping before I change my mind!" I said. She squealed and practically dragged me into the ivy covered store.

"Bella, meet Fred Segel" I looked around and giggled at her introduction while curtsying.

"Charmed, I'm sure" I added.

Fred Segel. Kitson. Lisa Kline. Curve.

We went to all these places and more. Before lunch. My stomach growled and I felt lightheaded when Alice suggested we stop for lunch. I wholeheartedly agreed.

We hopped into Alice's car and drove to the little restaurant a few blocks away. We opted to sit outside on the patio since it was such a nice summer day. We ordered our drinks and I excused myself to the restroom. I walked through the upscale eatery and into the bathroom, holding the door open for a woman about my age. We were the only two in there.

"Thanks," she said, and as she looked at me something flashed on her face. Recognition.

I was a little confused, because I was certain I didn't know her, but smiled and said, "You're welcome."

I was just about to get into the stall when I heard her speak.

"Excuse me? Are you Bella?" she asked, hopeful.

"Yes? Can I help you?" The girl was gawking at me now.

"Can I have your autograph?" She began quickly rifling through her huge boho-chic purse, I assumed for a pen or something to write on. Why, I wasn't sure. _What the hell?_

"What?" was all I managed to say. I collected my thoughts and added, "Why? How do you know my name?"

She looked at me like I should know. "You're on the cover of Star Magazine! Here, I have it in my purse somewhere..." She began frantically looking through her purse again, this time for the magazine. I didn't doubt that she _did _have the magazine in there with how huge her purse was.

Normally I would book it the hell out of there, but I had to see it. I had to see if it was true.

"Um, what? Excuse me, wow… I'm what? Can I please see it?" I asked, completely flabbergasted. My mouth had gone as dry as the Sahara.

Eventually she found the magazine and handed it to me, along with her pen. I saw the title and gasped, dropping the magazine to the floor. My hand immediately went to my mouth. Now I _really_ felt faint. I _knew_ I heard a click while we were looking at each other before the crowd of people descended!

There, on the cover of Star Magazine were Edward and me, making googly eyes at each other and, yep, grinning like idiots. At least I was right about that part. The caption below read, 'Mystery Girl Steals the Heart of Edward Cullen', and below that in small script read 'Could this girl be Edward's next leading lady? Who is she? Find out inside!'

I bolted, apologizing for dropping the magazine. I made my way out, tripping twice, to Alice, who was looking worried.

"Bella, are you ok? What took you so long?- Are you _alright_? You're as white as a ghost! Here, sit down, take a sip of your water…" She sat me down and put the drink in front of me. I took a small sip, to wet my dry as a bone mouth. When I could finally swallow again I said to Alice, "We have to go. Like, now. I'm on the fucking cover of Start Magazine!"

"_What!_" she exclaimed. I threw some money down on the table, for our drinks, and we hastily grabbed our things and left. I told her about my bathroom encounter. We were about a block from her car when she turned around.

"Uh oh, Bells. We better get there quick. There's a dude with a pretty high tech camera a block away, headed right for us… That fucking chick in the bathroom must have called! I know there's a number right on the magazine that you can call anytime. I used it once when I saw Megan Fox at a club." She guiltily looked at me.

"It's okay Alice, let's just get in your car and get outta here."

We hopped in the car and left. Our shopping day was over.

We stopped on the way to grab a copy of the magazine. I needed to know what it said, damn my curious nature. I called Rose to tell her we were coming home early, and she decided to take the rest of the day off for a movie marathon. It must be nice to own your own PR firm. Alice jumped back into the car and threw it in my lap, demanding that I read it on the way home.

I read, "The brunette beauty has been identified as Bella. Edward was heard yelling her name as she swiftly took off via cab. Could it be the first lover's quarrel between the two? How long have they been dating? Our sources speculate that it's still early, because Edward's not been photographed with another woman since Tanya Denali last April. Their relationship ended after he caught her cheating on him with old rival, Jake Black. We still don't have a last name, but one thing's for sure- Edward Cullen has his gorgeous green eyes on her. We here at Star Magazine will keep you updated on any developments with the couple people are referring to as 'Belward'. If you see anything, email us at"- I stopped reading there. I would have to think about the stuff with Tanya Denali, who I already hate, and Jake Black later. _Belward?_ _What the hell is that? Ohhh... I get it. Heh._

"Wow…" Alice said after a full minute of silence.

"Yeah…" I added.

"Well, how do you feel about it all?" Alice timidly asked.

How _do _I feel?

Apart from being photographed after a five hour flight, looking like crap… and today being surprised by the magazine, I actually felt okay. I hate being the center of attention, but if it was with Edward, then it didn't matter to me. I stopped thinking about it when I realized it didn't matter. He was a great guy, and even though things were over between us, it was worth it. If I ever see him again, I'll tell him. And I'll tell him how sorry I am for overreacting.

_Alice is still waiting on an answer… _

"I'm fine. A little embarrassed. But fine." I said, genuinely.

"Good!" she chirped. "Because that was awesome!" I laughed along with her, and realized we were almost home.

"I can't wait to tell Rose what happened…" Alice said. _Shit._ I never told Rose about who Edward really was. Alice noticed the change in my demeanor and she knew what was going through my mind.

"Don't worry about Rose. You know she'll understand- she knew you weren't ready to share that information last night. She should be home by now, preparing for our movie marathon. I can tell her everything when I get inside.

We pulled into the parking garage and I still couldn't get over how lucky I was to be living here. We took out my eight shopping bags and Alice's ten, and made our way to the elevator of the twenty story building. We made our way up to the sixteenth floor, and walked down the hall to the apartment. As soon as we walked through the door, the smell of popcorn assaulted me. It literally made my mouth water. We never got a chance for lunch, so now I was ravenous.

"Hey, bitches!" Rose called out from the kitchen. "Come help me with all this junk!" We went in and helped haul all the candy, popcorn, and drinks into the living room. I sat in the middle of the couch with Alice to the left, leaving the extended end for Rose. She got up and walked in front of the tv.

"Okay, first things first. Movie recommendations?" she asked.

"Pretty Woman!" Alice yelled.

"I'm good with that!" I seconded.

"Pretty Woman it is!" Rose decided.

She put in the DVD and dimmed the lights. She walked over to the couch and lay down in her favorite spot. The movie was about to start when Rose pushed the Pause button.

"Bella, don't you have anything to tell me?" She accused, but lightheartedly. She raised her perfectly sculpted eyebrow at me. She must have seen the magazine cover.

"Yes, Rose… I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner; I didn't know how to tell you something like that."

She gave me an understanding look and hugged me briefly before I went into telling her what I told Alice. By the time I was finished, she looked pretty impressed. That wasn't an easy task.

"Wow, B, I didn't know you had it in you! I can't believe you left a huge celeb like Edward Cullen high and dry like that with him chasing after you! He's got it so bad…"

"I don't know, I doubt it Rose." I said, feeling down. I looked up at her and swore I saw a smug expression on her face. I did a double take but it was gone when I looked back.

"Whatever you say" She smiled as she pressed Play.

We started the marathon at two. It was now going on nine, and we had gone through three movies- Pretty Woman, Sleeping with the Enemy, and Erin Brokovich. Hey, call it a Julia Roberts kind of day.

"Hey Bells, you have your phone on you?" Rose asked.

"No, it's in my room, why…?" What was she up to?

"No reason. You might just want to have it on you at"-the clock chimed nine o'clock-" right now actually. You never know who might call you." I looked at her quizzically but got up to get my phone.

I heard a ringing as I opened my door, and walked over to answer it. The screen read 'Unknown Number'.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Bella?" I gasped audibly into the phone. I knew that smooth voice. It sounded timid, hesitant. My heart sped up to insane levels; I was sure he could hear it. I took a deep breath to calm myself before answering.

I was sure he could still hear my trembling as I answered, " Yes, this is Bella…" Could it really be _him_? Calling _me_?

"Bella." I heard a sigh of relief on the other end of the phone. He continued on. "It's Edward, from the plane? God, you probably think I'm such an ass. I got your number from your friend, Rosalie Hale."

"Rose gave you my number? But how did you know how to find her?" I was in complete shock. He looked for me.

"I remember you telling me about your friend Rose who owns her own PR firm. I searched for her and called her as soon as I found her number. I asked for your number after explaining everything to her. She made me promise not to hurt you again before she would give me your number… she told me if I did that she would, how did she so eloquently put it, cut off my balls? Do you think she'd really do that?" he asked, nervously chuckling into the phone_. I love that sound_.

_Think of something witty to say!_ "That all depends on if you keep your promise, I suppose", I laughed, too.

"In that case, I think I'm safe." He quipped, reassuring me. "Listen Bella, I want to apologize to you"- I interrupted him- "No, Edward, I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't have run off like that. It all just happened so fast. I didn't know why everyone was taking pictures of you, and then I looked over to the magazines and saw you plastered on almost every cover! I just freaked." I explained.

"Us." He said simply.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"They were taking pictures of _us_, Bella. Did you see the cover of Star Magazine today? We do make quite the cute couple," he didn't laugh like I expected him to. I hoped he was being serious. I began laughing. "You're laughing because I said we make a nice couple? I'm hurt, Bella."

I laughed a bit more before explaining. "No Edward, I'm not laughing at that, I think it's great. I've just never heard a guy say 'cute' before!" We had a good laugh over it and talked about other words that sound weird coming from guys. Like 'duvet'. And 'tinkle'. He sighed before finishing his previous thought.

"But really Bella, if I would have just been honest from the get go we wouldn't have had this problem, and I wouldn't have been calling every Whole Foods in LA County. Plus, I could have asked you out a lot sooner…" Wow. I have officially died and gone to heaven. I smiled as I pictured him on his cell phone, personally calling 411 a hundred times, trying to find out if that Whole Foods was the store where I worked. And did he say 'asked out sooner'? Was he going to ask me out?

"You do have a point…" I teased. We laughed, for the hundredth time since being on the phone. I heard him take a large, calming breath.

"Bella, would you have dinner with me tomorrow night? At my place? Er, to avoid any unwanted attention?" He sounded nervous. It was adorable.

"I'd love to." I answered simply. I tried not to sound too overexcited, but I was through the roof. I can't believe what a complete one-eighty my day had taken. And tomorrow night, I would be having dinner with Edward. At his place!

"Thank you for giving me a second chance. I promise you it's the last chance I'll need. How does seven sound- I'll pick you up? Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah, that sounds great, Edward." We talked for a while longer, and after exchanging information like his phone number and where I lived, we hung up.

As soon as I hung up the phone, I squealed like a little girl, but I wasn't alone. Alice and Rose were there in the doorway for God knows how long, screaming along with me. They ran and tackled me to my bed and we talked and gossiped excitedly for hours. Alice would pick out my dress and heels- _ugh heels_-, and Rose said she wanted to do my hair and makeup. I agreed and basked in the perfect second half of my day.

I went to bed nervous and excited for the next night.

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A/N: OK, it's up to you guys- do you want to see what Edward was doing the day Bella was shopping and witness the phone call with Rosalie? See how he reacted when he saw the Star Mag cover? Or should I start EPOV from the day of their date (the next day)? It's up to you! Leave me your answer in a review, I'm really torn so you have to help! Thanks again for reading!

-Mel


	5. Chapter 5

Hey yallll! I'm back with a new chap. Sorry it took longer to get it out, but real life took hold for a few days- damn midterms!

I received a lot of PMs requesting Edward's day and his conversation with Rosalie, so here it is. It gets super lemony towards the end, so the chap is def rated M. Enjoy!

Don't own ittt

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EPOV

I got the numbers to eleven Whole Foods Markets in Los Angeles County. It wasn't easy but it was worth it if it meant I would get to see Bella again; at least to apologize. As soon as I walked in my apartment I smelled it. I hadn't been home in a couple months, and I didn't exactly take the time to clean out my fridge. _Well, no better time than the present_. I took another sniff. _Gross_.

After quickly throwing my luggage in my room, I went to the source of the stench. I opened the refrigerator apprehensively, afraid of what I would see. My fears were unwarranted though; it was just a carton of old milk that now resembled that of cottage cheese and a moldy bag of shredded cheese. I opened up the windows to air out the place as I took the trash to the chute down the hall from my apartment.

I walked back into my apartment and noticed how much better it already smelled. Another hour and you wouldn't be able to smell it at all. I decided to unpack until Em got out of his meetings. He was in the middle of contract negotiations with the LA Kings, an NHL team.

I dialed his number and he picked up on the first ring.

"Baby bro!" He hollered.

"Hey Em. How's the negotiating coming along? Making the big bucks?" I asked. He laughed.

"Nothing but!" Emmet made an insane amount of money doing what he loved. He is one of the most talented hockey players I've ever seen, but I might be biased. "Nah, but they're going pretty well. We should finalize everything by the end of the week. I'll be in LA for a few more years if it all works out! Hey listen, I'll be home in forty minutes- you know traffic at the time; it's hell. I'll pick up some brewskies and head your way."

"Thanks, that'd be great." I said, appreciating the gesture immensely_. _The beer I have is probably so old_._

"Hey, it's the least I can do to welcome little Eddie back to the right time zone." We laughed.

"Okay Em, see you in an hour or so."

"Later dude."

I finished unpacking in about a half an hour, and decided I probably smelled like ass- traveling will do that to you. Although I bet if I tried I could probably still smell Bella on my shirt. I took a whiff and sure enough, I could recognize a hint of strawberries.

I took off my clothes, careful to put my shirt aside, and hopped into the shower. I stood under the stream for a few minutes after I was all washed up just enjoying the feel of it on my sore body.

I quickly changed into jeans and a plain white cotton t-shirt and grabbed an old beer from the fridge. I tasted it- yep, definitely bad. I looked at the clock just as I heard a knock at the door.

I yelled that it was open, and in walked Jas carrying a big bag of groceries and a case of beer.

"Want one? That's probably skunked, man." He offered.

"Hell yea it is, and yeah, thanks." I grabbed a bottle and opened it with the bottled opener that was magnetized to the fridge. "Well let's take the steaks out to the grill; Em should be here in ten."

"Sounds good." He put the beer into the fridge while I grabbed the steaks and headed to the large patio that was home to the grill. I live in a pretty nice place- Esme calls it a bachelor pad. She completely redesigned it for me because she loves that shit, and who am I to ruin her fun. She's a very sought after interior designer in Seattle and absolutely lives for this stuff. All I know is it's got a great open layout, room for a grill, a hot tub, and an amazing view of the city.

Jas and I bullshitted for a while until Emmet came in.

"Bro! Jas!" He walked up and pulled me into a huge bear hug.

"Hey, where's the beer Em?" I asked.

"Ah shit Edward, is that all I'm good for?" He feigned a hurt expression before busting out laughing. "Just kidding man, it's in your fridge- want one? I'm going to grab one for myself."

I looked down, realizing my beer was already nearly empty. "Yeah, thanks."

He came back a minute later and it was time to throw the steaks on the grill. I put them on, hearing the satisfying sizzle that followed. My mouth instantly watered; I had been too preoccupied on the plane to eat…

"So how's the Bella situation?" Jasper asked.

"Who's Bella? You've been holding out on me Eddie!" Emmett boomed as he punched my shoulder. I glared over at Jasper, who simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Shit, we're not all hockey players here." I reprimanded. It hurt but I wasn't going to admit that to him.

"Tell me dude. What's up?" He persisted. "And whoever she is better not be a complete ice cold bitch like that Tanya chick." He shivered, emphasizing his distaste.

_Might as well tell him._

I took a breath before divulging. "She's a girl I met on the plane ride here, but we… were separated before I could get her number."

"Oh she ran off huh? Maybe she didn't want to deal with an actor's narcissistic tendencies." Sometimes Emmett surprised me with his vocabulary selections. Just then he let out a loud belch. _And then he goes back to that._

"No, that's not it. She didn't know who I was or what I did." Em nodded understandingly. I continued on- "So basically I've called the place she works but she doesn't start there until Friday, and I don't want to wait two days to find her."

Jasper looked up at me. "Hey, you could always find that Rosalie chick's number, remember?" _Oh yeah_.

"Yeah. I'll call Hannah tomorrow and see if she knows the name."

We had a really chill night and wound up getting pretty toasty. Em ended up running to my hot tub naked so it's safe to assume he had a good night too. I'd have to remember to call the hot tub people and ask them to add extra Shock it.

We spent the night discussing sports and shooting pool. It was a great night. I fell asleep and dreamt I found those substantially beautiful chocolate eyes.

I woke up around ten the next day, the glare from the sun streaming into my eyes. Jasper and Emmett must have already left; I vaguely remember each of them telling me they were leaving while in my slumber.

I got out of bed and decided food was my first priority. I went to the kitchen and looked in my cabinets. Empty. It was far too early to order a pizza. Okay, so groceries first. Then food.

I threw on my beanie and left for the grocery store. I picked up all the usuals- milk, eggs, chicken breasts, cheese, and cereal. I went to the cereal aisle and studied my options. I laughed out loud when I thought back to my conversation with Bella.

_Count Chocula it is then._

I grabbed the box and placed it in my cart. I was lucky; Wednesday is not a busy shopping day for most grocery stores, so nobody stopped me to ask for an autograph. I got into the checkout line and waited for my turn. Typically I didn't look at the tabloids because I was on them and what they said about me wasn't true anyway, but today I wanted to check. I wanted to see how they would twist yesterday's occurrence at the airport. Most of them had Lindsay Lohan on the cover. Her most recent endeavor appeared to be designing clothing. She had asked me for my number in the past, but I've always declined. She's too much of a party girl for me. Way too much.

The Star Magazine had both Bella and me on the cover. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little excited, but I quickly regretted the feeling. I chose this life; she did not. It's not fair to her that this happened- she didn't even know who I was. _This is wrong_.

I'll find her and call her to apologize, and then I'll leave her alone. She deserves someone who can take her out without being swarmed by photographers.

_But what if she doesn't care?_

_She will if she were any normal woman_.

_Okay then, I'll leave it up to her. If she forgives me, I'll leave everything up to her from here on out._

I grabbed the magazine and placed it on the moving belt, all the while wondering who would want a normal woman anyway.

I had some reading to do. I knew it was a bit stalkerish but it might have some information I could use to contact her- a last name, perhaps? I checked out and got into my car while pulling out my phone.

"Hannah, hey" I said. Hannah was a great agent; she never pressured me to do a job just for the money. Over time it just became another perk.

"Hey Edward, how are you?" I answered with a 'great' and got down to business.

"Listen, I need to ask you something…" I started.

"Does this have anything to do with that gorgeous brunette I saw in Star Mag with you?" She teased. "What can I help you with?"

"Well do you know a PR Firm owned by a woman named Rosalie?"

"Yeah, why? I thought you were happy with Maggie?"

"No, I am. It's nothing like that. It's for a friend."

"Well yeah- it's called Roshale PR, owned by Rosalie Hale. Listen, she's good, but she's also not afraid to put anyone in their place. Here's the number." I wrote down her number and thanked Hannah. We decided to meet for lunch sometime next week and hung up.

I got home and put my groceries away, immediately pouring myself a bowl of cereal. I looked at the clock- 11:30. _I'll call at noon._

I played piano for a half an hour, then sucked up my nerve to call this Rosalie Hale woman.

"Rosalie Hale's office" A man in his twenties answered.

"Hi, I'm Edward Cullen. Can I please speak to Rosalie Hale?" I asked, trying to sound polite.

"One moment Mr. Cullen, I'll see if she's available" I responded with a thanks and heard the 'on hold' music begin to play. I waited for about two minutes when I heard the phone click over. My stomach flipped abruptly.

"Rosalie Hale" An assertive, clipped feminine voice rang through the phone.

"Hi Miss Hale. My name is Edward Cullen. I know we've never met but I have one hell of a favor to ask you." Would she relinquish Bella's phone number?

"If you need representation Edward, I'm afraid my hands are full. Aren't you happy with Maggie? She's not me, but she's good at her job. And I _never_ say that. I'm the best there is."

"No, no. Thanks, but I am happy with Maggie. She's brilliant. This isn't that kind of favor… it's more…" I hesitated. "personal." By now I was really worried. What if she says no? Do I even have an argument if she denies me what I want?

"Okay…" she started, I could hear the wheels turning in her head. "Well what is it then? I haven't got all day, Mr. Cullen."

"Well, see, I met your friends yesterday on a plane ride from New York…" I began. Did Bella mention me to her best friends? I heard her breath catch. She had heard about me after all.

"Ohhh, so you're the Edward? The Edward that _lied_ to my best friend's face? Listen _buddy, _from what I hear you don't deserve my girl anyway. She's a classy broad, Edward, and doesn't deserve to be jerked around by some self-absorbed little pissant actor. I think this conversation is over-"

I couldn't let her hang up without the number. She was right, though- I don't deserve her. I interrupted her rant before she hung up on me.

"Wait, just please. Just hear me out." I could tell she was considering it.

She heaved a sigh. "You have one minute." _YES._

"I've never met anyone like her, Rosalie. She's smart, radiant, hilarious, witty, charming. Beautiful. We have a connection. I can't describe it, but I hope one day you get to experience it. There are no words. If you do, then you'll know what I feel with Bella. I feel foolish saying all of this and I barely know her, but I really want that chance. It wasn't my intention to hold the truth from her. Please give me her number, at least let me call her, apologize?"

"Edward, Bella was really torn up over it. I couldn't see why, she didn't even know you. I guess I'll give you her number, but not because you deserve it. Call tonight at nine- no earlier and no later. And if you ever hurt her again I'll personally see to it that your balls get cut off. I don't care how famous you are and neither do my pliers. Got it?"

"Rosalie, you're amazing. I promise, thank you. Nine tonight. Got it."

"Yeah well… I should have made you beg." She was teasing me now.

"I was prepared to." I hung up the phone after getting her number and let out a huge breath. I was unbelievably relieved. That was pretty intimidating. She _is_ fierce. _Em needs someone like her to keep him in his place._

I spent the rest of the day cleaning, doing a light workout, and just plain vegging. I swear, every time I looked at the clock a mere five minutes passed even though it felt like hours. I was entirely too excited and nervous to call her, so I decided another run couldn't hurt. Having already run four miles out of habit, I decided to push myself hard this time. Maybe the time would go faster.

Seven miles and forty minutes later, I panted to a halt. As I stretched I thought about what we would talk about, how I'd muster the courage to ask her out, and if she'd even pick up. What if she didn't answer numbers she didn't recognize? I guess I just had to hope that Rosalie would mention something to her. _All this thinking and worrying has me so tense._ I stepped into the bathroom; sweat still beading freely down my now naked body. _Maybe I could ease my tension…_

I stepped into the steamy shower and let the water run down me. I quickly washed my hair with my favorite shampoo, and then reached for my body wash. I put a small dollop on my hand and began slowly rubbing my body all over. I pictured Bella in front of me, her soft hands touching my biceps and forearms, and then running her hands down my chest and stomach. I was rock hard now. She would rub her hand down my stomach and down my thighs before coming back up to my erection. I gently grabbed hold of myself and began stroking slowly; picturing my hands were Bella's dainty ones. She would be soft and gentle and it would be so good. I moaned audibly as I stroked myself a bit tighter. She would gain more courage and hold me firmly, beginning to stroke faster. I pictured her here with me. Images of her invaded my mind. Her soft, luminous skin. Her amazing scent. I rubbed harder now, and faster, running my thumb over the head of my solid cock. The way her skin flushed. Her curvy, feminine body. She was kneeling before me now, stroking me faster and harder, just the way I like it. I added my hips a little, the pressure building to new heights. The need to come was becoming more intense. I pictured her naked in front of me, water running off of her, waiting for me to come for her. _Her lips_. She slowly lowered her head to my shaft while still pumping me. _Oh fuck… those pillow lips_. I couldn't wait to get them around my cock. She lowered her mouth until I was immersed within her hot, tight mouth. _Fuck._ She looks up at me with her big doe eyes and I'm lost to the sensations. I picture her touching herself and I can't hold it in any longer. My orgasm vibrates through me as I picture her coming while sucking my cock, my hand reaching out to the tile wall for balance and roughly coming onto the shower wall._ Holy shit._

I finished washing up and turned off the shower. _Definitely needed that_.

Finally, after possibly the longest day in history, it was a quarter 'til nine.

8:47. I waited.

8:51.

8:52.

8:57. Close enough.

I went to grab my phone from my room. _Where the hell is it?_

I was in momentary freak out mode until I remembered I left it in my jeans and didn't think to take it out before my second workout of the day. I literally ran into my room and found it. I pulled out the piece of paper with Bella's number and dialed. I pushed send, and the phone began to ring.

And ring.

And ring.

I heard her sweet voice on the other end and prayed she would forgive me...

She was going to give me another chance. This beautiful goddess was going to go out with me. I can't remember the last time I was so nervous, or the last time I even asked somebody out. Especially having no clue whether or not they would say yes. _She_ apologized to _me_. Why, I have no idea. But I could spend tomorrow and every day after that trying to make it up to her. She seemed just as nervous as me on the phone, which I was so glad for. I'm sure I sounded like a bumbling idiot, but she didn't seem to mind. When I told her I thought we looked cute, I thought she was laughing at me, but then she explained why she was laughing and pretty soon we were both cracking up.

I was so nervous when I asked her out… but so glad she said yes. I would have her in my apartment tomorrow night. Now I just had to think of what to cook.

I got online and looked up some recipes before deciding on old faithful, spaghetti and meatballs. I can definitely tackle that. No problem.

I went to bed early after calling Jas and letting him know I found her and asked her out. He bid me a good luck and we hung up the phone. I definitely couldn't wait until tomorrow.

I woke up the next day and practically jumped out of bed. I did the usual running around and did a few extra miles on the treadmill to rid my nerves. I went to the grocery store for my ingredients and stopped by _Gourmet Wine and Spirits_ on Wilshire to get the perfect wine for tonight. It wasn't as deserted as the previous day so I did have to sign quite a few autographs and pose for some pictures. It really wasn't a big deal; I was walking on air today. I stopped by the florist on the way home and picked up a dozen orchids.

I got home and cleaned some more, paying extra attention to the kitchen. I decided to wait to cook it until after I picked her up. It would be something fun we could do together while we talked and drank the wine I bought.

Finally, it was time to get ready. I grabbed a shower and shaved, then threw on a dark green button up and a pair of charcoal grey pants. I looked in the mirror to attempt to fix my hair, but to no avail. I ran out the door at 6:40 with the flowers and off I went.

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A/N: Sorry for leaving it like this, but the date will be really long and it was the best place to stop. I won't keep you waiting as long for the next one- I'd say around Wednesday. BUT as always, the more reviews I get, the more I want to write! So leave love! We start next chapter with Bella getting ready and we dive into their date :)

Mel


	6. Chapter 6

So here it is- their date! Sorry it took so long, I sort of had some writer's block. Let me know what you think alright? Thanks again for reading, as always!

Don't own itttt.

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BPOV

I woke up the next morning with renewed vigor despite the late night I had. Alice, Rose, and I stayed up until about three just talking about things to do in LA, places to go, oh yeah- and Edward.

Alice was so excited and thought the whole situation at LAX should be considered water under the bridge; Rosalie had a different perspective. I knew she thought Edward had a pair of steel balls for finding her number and calling to ask about me, even though he must have known I'd told my girls. She would already have a bad attitude towards him, so why should she give him any favors? She's the kind of woman who doesn't give second chances because it makes her appear weak. I tended to side with Alice. Why not start over? He apologized, and I would give him another chance- he said it himself that he would only need one more.

I knew Rose wasn't too mad about me going out on a date with Edward, because she was beside herself trying to decide my makeup and hair. When it comes to friends, she's always there; Edward might just have to try a little harder than he's used to in order to win her over.

I made breakfast and continued to unpack- tomorrow was my first day of work so I wouldn't have a whole lot of time to unpack after today. Who starts work on a Saturday? Alice and Rose said they would pick up the paint for my room after I left for my date with Edward. Alice stopped by around lunch time with a handful of color swatches and I picked the best one- a color I called 'Edward Green'. Perfect.

After unpacking and saying goodbye to Alice, I decided to make dessert for tonight. If Edward was making dinner, it's the least I could do. _But what to make…_ I ran a list through my head. Cheesecake?_ No, too heavy. _Chocolate Mousse? _Too messy_. Tiramisu_? That might be nice…_

I decided on the Italian dessert and got started. At about one thirty my phone beeped while I was elbows deep in baking. I washed and dried my hands and made my way over to my cell. It was a text from Edward. Immediately my stomach flipped, and not in a good way. _What if he's texting me to cancel? He would call to do that, wouldn't he? Not just leave a text? _Before I got my panties into even more of a twist, I decided to check the message first. I opened my phone and clicked 'View Message'.

**Is it 7 yet?-E**

Could he be just as excited as me? I let out a brief swoon before answering his text. I wanted to be a bit bolder than typical Bella, so I wrote the message and pushed send before I had a chance to change my mind.

**I know. Time decided to move slowly today. Can't wait for tonight.-B**

I heard the beep seconds after I set it down on the counter.

**I can't wait. How's 6?-E**

**Perfect.-B**

I let out a little scream and did a small, nerdy dance in the kitchen, but stopped after I slipped on spilled mascarpone and almost fell on my ass. I got back to cooking after calling the girls to let them know the plans had changed slightly.

The time rushed by and I realized that Al and Rose would be home soon; I hadn't even gotten a shower yet, and I told them I'd be showered, shaved, and blow dried by the time they walked in the door.

At five after four my best friends walked in on me applying my deodorant. They were eager to make me up and practically chomping at the bit. Normally I would object to this kind of charade- it's _just a date, so why not let them see the real me?_ - But truth be told, I really wanted to impress Edward. I knew he was used to women wearing elegant hairstyles and opulent fashion. At least for the first date, I would dress to impress. After this, if there is another date, I would dress in typical Bella fashion. Plus, he saw me in my boring outfit on the plane, so he already knows what typical Bella looks like.

"Okay! Let's do this" Rosalie cracked her neck and knuckles and proceeded to drag me into her bathroom where she already had set out enough hair and makeup for twenty-five people. Alice followed happily, placed the lid on the toilet, and sat down.

Her room was beautiful; I had never been in it before and I found that it suited her tastes immensely. The walls were a cool blue, almost as blue as her gorgeous eyes. The light colored wood made it a calming place, which I'm sure was needed since Rose's job put quite a lot of stress on her. We all talked about our days and the girls discussed work.

She straightened, curled, and sprayed my hair. An hour and ten minutes later my hair was flowing and shiny in a way I could never make it go. It wasn't too poofy, but had just enough volume. It was sex hair, and I loved it. We moved onto makeup next.

"Stop fidgeting, Bells" Rose complained for the tenth time in as many minutes.

"Sorry." I paused, a question popping into my head. "You guys? How come I haven't heard anything about men? You've got to each have about twenty guys wanting to ask you out, but you haven't mentioned anything. What gives?"

I heard them 'hmm', and Alice was the first to speak up. "I don't know, I guess work takes a lot of time, and when the end of the day comes we just want to hang out with each other you know? No more stress. And guys lead to stress."

"Amen!" Rose hollered. "Plus, we've been dating, but honestly nobody's been worth mentioning to you. It seriously sucks. So many of the men here are shallow, and the weeding out process is rough!" We laughed collectively.

"However, I did meet a guy the other day named Royce. He's pretty cute, a financier or something so you know he's getting paid! He asked for my number, so we'll see if he calls" Rose added with a shrug. "If not, no biggy."

"Alice? Anyone sparking your fancy?" I probed as I wiggled my eyebrows and grinned, earning another reprimand from Rose to keep still.

"Eh, nothing really. But you know what I think- love shows up when you least expect it, I mean look at you! On a plane? So I'm not really looking and for now I'm just happy to have my bitches with me" She smiled at that last part and we went on with our conversation, making plans to go out tomorrow night, which was Saturday. They thought we should celebrate my new job, even though I was only making ten dollars an hour…

Rose curled my lashes and lined them with a smoky midnight blue-almost black- liner. She applied mascara, added a petal pink colored gloss to my lips, and I was good to go.

It was going on a quarter 'til when I slinked into my dress. It was perfect. At first I worried that Alice would pick out a short, tight tinsel-looking atrocity, but I couldn't have been farther off. It was a sleek, simple black dress. It fell to right above my knees and looked almost like a tube top on top, but had some straps added on. My shoes were simple black peep toe pumps. I actually loved them; they were comfortable, for now anyway. I'm not sure I'd be singing the same tune later, however. Alice assured me they would still feel great later because "they're Christian Louboutins, Bells! He's like the Jesus of footwear!"

I began getting a bit nervous, _am I too dressed up?_ What if he shows up wearing jeans and a t-shirt? Alice and Rose assured me I was great in what I had on.

After finally getting ready, with five minutes to spare, I looked in the mirror.

I loved how I looked. I actually looked like a strong woman, not a little girl anymore. I even felt sexier in this outfit. The woman looking back at me was still pale, but the black made my skin look luminous. The red on the inside of my heels even popped. My hair was covering my shoulders and collar bone, and my eyes were, dare I say, hot? _Maybe I would have Rose help me out more often… _I felt fierce.

Just then I heard a knock at the door and Alice looked at me with her huge eyes before sprinting down the hall towards the front door. I looked in the mirror one more time, gave myself a quick round of chants in my head, _"you can do this. You've got this! Go get 'em, Bells!",_ and headed out of Rose's door.

"Go get him, tiger…" Rose purred as I stalked out of her room. I glanced back at her laying on her bed with the most recent Cosmo magazine and winked, saying nothing. I heard an "Owww!" catcall as I turned the corner.

Edward stood in the entryway talking to Alice like a God damned model. Better than. I looked up to meet his eyes but he wasn't looking at my face, and he was no longer talking. His eyes were roaming my body, taking in my outfit. I'm sure my face turned its usual shade of crimson, but I didn't mind him looking at me. Edward was the only man who's ever made me feel sexy, and I was addicted to the feeling. I let out a little sigh of relief when I saw what he was wearing. He had on a dark green button up shirt and dark grey pants with dress shoes, and he looked amazing. His hair was in the same beautiful disarray as it was on the flight. His eyes eventually made their way up to mine when I was mere feet from him. He cocked an eyebrow and smiled as he breathed, "Stunning."

I looked down to my feet for a second and glanced up to meet his eyes once again.

"Thank you, Edward. You look great, too" I smiled sheepishly. I noticed Alice was gone, giving us our space. _Thank God_. Just as I was about to suggest we head out, he pulled a bouquet of Orchids out from behind him.

"I got you a little something…" He said. I gasped when I saw them. They were beautiful, and just happened to be my favorite flower.

"Edward, they're amazing… thank you so much. You didn't have to." I reached for the flowers and held his hand in thanks; he squeezed my hand back.

"I thought they were the most appropriate; Orchids are symbolic of rare and delicate beauty. They go perfectly with you, Bella…" I honestly didn't know what to say. What do you say to that? I looked deeply into his eyes and thanked him again.

"Honestly, Bella" he started, still looking deeply into my eyes. "I should be the one thanking you. For giving me another chance. Shall we?" He smiled gently.

"Sure, let me just put these in some water and we can head out, Oh! I made something." I ran into the kitchen, found a vase, grabbed my dessert, yelled a quick goodbye to the girls, and we were off.

We made our way down to the elevator making small talk and walked out onto the street where he was parked. He opened my door for me and basically ran over to his side of the door, grinning at me when he got in the driver's side.

"So what did you make?" Edward asked as he nodded to the box that was laying in my lap.

"It's tiramisu. Have you ever had it before?"

"Yeah! I love it. I'm cooking Italian tonight, so it'll go really well. Er, do you cook often?" He asked timidly.

"Why? Are you afraid I've accidently poisoned you with my dessert?" I teased. I love how easy it was to talk to him. It was like we've known each other for years. Edward laughed.

"No, I'm actually more worried you'll judge my cooking… I suppose I'm not exactly the best chef in the world. I hope spaghetti's alright with you. It's my specialty." He quirked an eyebrow at me, awaiting a response.

"Well don't worry. We can figure it out together. I love to cook. Just remember, every expert once started out a beginner, so who am I to judge? Besides, spaghetti's great." He nodded as we drove to his apartment.

I noticed his car was extremely tidy, which didn't surprise me at all. Edward seemed a bit anal about things like that; I bet he folded his underwear, for God's sake. I laughed to myself unbeknownst to him… or so I thought.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked. I felt my face heat up. I definitely wasn't telling him what I was just thinking, so I shook my head. Just then, he pulled into his parking spot and got out, opening up my door for me. He offered his hand and I took it as he helped me out of his expensive looking car. Instead of him leading me to the apartment, however, he closed my car door and fenced me in with my back to the car door, his palms flat on the car. He was so close to me, I could smell him. He smelled absolutely amazing- a mixture of some aftershave, laundry detergent, and a smell all his own. He smelled like a man, and I was drowning in it. I heard him take a deep breath as he looked into my eyes, smirking. He was inches from my face, and I thought for a moment he might kiss me. I wished he would.

"Tell me what you were thinking," he leaned in so close that I could feel his breath on my lips. "Please, Bella?" His green eyes were peering into mine. How could I say no? Before I really thought about what I was saying, it was too late.

"Er, your underwear?" I blabbed out. _What the hell, Bella!? He might as well take me straight home, who says that?! _Instead of him being really creeped out, his eyes turned into shock and he began laughing.

"You were thinking about my underwear? Do you do that a lot?" He continued laughing. I wanted to die.

"No! I mean… well define a lot? I mean no!" …commence word vomit in three, two, one… " I was thinking your car was really clean, and wondered if you were kind of anal about keeping things clean, and then I wondered if you folded your underwear, and oh God just kill me now…"

I looked down and my traitor tears threatened to come out full force. I was a moron. And a creep. A creepy fucking moron. Who thinks about movie stars' underwear. I suppose a lot of people. I'm just another crazy fan, even though I've never seen anything he's been in. Just then I felt something touch my chin and nudge it back up, and I met Edward's still smiling mouth and eyes.

"Hey, don't be ashamed." He said softly. "I've thought about your underwear more than once since I've met you, Bella." He looked down for a second and smiled his crooked smile, and I could have sworn I saw a faint blush appear on his cheeks. It was so cute.

I bit my lower lip to try not to but started giggling about the whole ridiculous situation, and pretty soon he was joining me. We laughed for probably two minutes straight when he released me from my cage made of his arms and said, "Okay, let's grab the dessert and head up to my apartment… I'll give you the grand tour and if you're lucky I'll even show you my underwear drawer…" I playfully smacked him and we made our way up the elevator.

We got to his floor and walked down the hall to his apartment. He unlocked his door and let me in first, his hand grazing my lower back as I entered. I felt a slight tingle when he touched me and couldn't help but wonder if he felt it too.

After a quick tour of his gorgeous home- "My mother, Esme, decorated the whole thing, I have no idea what the difference is between white and cream, but apparently there is…", we began dinner while we made conversation. He poured us each a glass of wine while we cooked. We talked more about his brother and the negotiations he was going through. We talked about his movie projects and press for the last movie he filmed. He would be going out of town in about a month to promote it, and wasn't looking forward to it. We talked about how I'm enjoying LA so far. We talked about everything.

"This wine is delicious" I remarked. He was just plating our food when he turned to me with the bottle.

"Here, let me fill it up again, it's almost time to eat." I held out my glass and he gingerly poured me another glass. He placed the wine bottle on his dark granite countertop and focused his attention back on me. He slowly leaned in toward me, all the while checking to make sure it was okay, and placed a small but wonderful kiss on my cheek. I smiled and blushed.

"I love seeing you blush, Bella. You look so beautiful tonight." If possible, I blushed even more and smiled as I continued looking up into his eyes. They were boring into mine with an intensity I've never felt before. He chuckled and kissed my other cheek just as tenderly as the previous one. I closed my eyes at the feeling. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I needed to kiss this amazing man. With a little help from my liquid courage, I placed my wine glass on the counter and brought my hand up to his smooth face. His eyes closed at my touch and I knew it was my chance.

I swiftly leaned in and stood on my tippy toes and my lips brushed his for a brief moment. His lips were insanely soft and warm, and our lips fit together so perfectly. He instantly reacted, pushing back against my lips slightly. I pulled away and his eyes opened. I saw a hunger there, in his eyes. He smiled as his hand reached up to cup the back of my head and he pulled me towards his awaiting mouth. His mouth was slightly open and his tongue reached out to lick my lower lip as his other hand moved to hold my waist. I had been waiting for this kiss all night. His touch alone made my body feel like it was on fire, and I wasn't in any hurry to stop it. I opened my mouth and let our tongues touch and rub against one another's. He tasted amazing, like wine and something just so very Edward. My hands reached up and ran through his hair and I pulled it slightly to get him even closer, if at all possible. He let out a moan and it was the single most wonderful sound I've ever heard. It was incredibly sexy, and I wanted to hear more. He moved back against the counter and took me with him so I cornered him against it. He pulled me nearer and I felt his hard body as our mouths continued to explore. His hand moved from my waist to my back and then lower to just above my ass and he pushed me up against him, and I mean all of him. I could feel how excited he was through his dress pants, and it felt…big. And hard. He kissed me one final time before releasing my mouth, leaving both of us panting. Our foreheads touched as we caught our breath. He looked up into my eyes and kissed me one final time before letting go of my body.

"I've wanted to do that all night," he said, still breathing heavily. "but if we don't stop now, we won't get to our dinner, and won't get to eat your dessert, which I'm sure is delicious." He smiled and added, "Now go grab a seat in the dining room and I'll bring in our dinner. I hope it's alright."

I finally found my voice. "I wouldn't mind skipping dinner." He looked surprised at my suggestion, but before he could say anything, I added, "I'm sure it'll be great." He smiled and I turned to walk into the dining room.

The room was set up beautifully. There were more orchids in the centerpiece and tall candles on the table that were already lit.

Dinner was really good, and the dessert was a hit. I told him next time I would have to cook for him and his face perked up at that.

After dinner we talked more about how the measures he'd gone to finding me and the Star Magazine article. I cracked up when I found out he actually bought it in hopes that it would have information on me so he could find me.

I helped him with dishes, much to his dismay, and we sat down on his leather couch in his large living room with the remnants of our wine from dinner. It had been such a great night so far, and I hoped it would only get better, although I'm not sure how it could get much better.

His body turned to face mine and he put on a serious face.

"I'm so glad I found you, Bella. I just want to apologize again for how horribly everything ended after the amazing time we had on the plane." He looked at me with such sincerity, and it made my heart hurt. He really still blamed himself for the debacle at the airport. I had to set him straight.

"Edward, I'm so glad you found me too. I was such a mess after that whole thing happened, but I want you to know one thing. If that hadn't happened, who knows how things would have ended? You just never know. So please, don't give it another thought. Tonight's been truly amazing." I looked up to his eyes and he smiled.

"I'd love to see you again, if that's okay?" He asked. He looked like he thought I might actually say no! I wanted to play with him a little bit.

"Well, I'm not sure… I think I might need you to do something for me first." I smirked. I'm not sure if it was still the liquid courage or just a stronger Bella, but I was feeling feisty. His face looked a bit startled, and a lot confused.

"Okay? Anything. What is it?" He inquired. His eyes were so intense that I almost felt bad, but I knew he wouldn't feel that way for long. I looked deep into his eyes, and tried to convey everything I was feeling with them- excitement, lust, passion, and desire. The feeling of new love. _Love? Is that what this is? It's far too soon to tell. Right?_

"Kiss me." His face transformed into the brightest grin I've seen as he attacked my mouth with his. His hands reached up to my face and pulled me as close as possible, while leaning me back onto the couch and hovering over me.

"God, you're so sexy" he breathed. I whimpered at that, and his mouth moved from my lips down my jaw and throat. He licked the pulse point on my neck and I felt him take a small nibble. I had never had that feeling before and I quickly found I loved it. My hands found purchase in his bronze hair and I brought him back up to my lips. _So soft_. His tongue was doing amazing things and I wondered what else he could do with it. _When did I become so horny? When you met the sexiest man alive._ He was above me but I wanted to feel the pressure of his body on mine. I took my hands from his hair and ran them down over his hard abs, feeling the individual muscles there, and grasping his hips. I grabbed them roughly and pulled them onto me, feeling his hardness in the exact spot I wanted it most. He groaned and bucked slightly into me, still kissing me. He finally lowered his hips onto me, putting the perfect amount of weight on me and we made out like high schoolers.

Finally our kisses slowed to gentle pecks when he pulled away smiling at me. His lips were red and a little swollen; I'm sure mine were too. I glanced at the clock and he looked to where my eyes were, realizing the time. It was almost midnight, and I had to go into work at six in the morning the next day. I sighed and he looked back over to me.

"I don't want you to leave yet, but I know you have work in the morning." He looked at me sadly. "Do you want me to take you home now?"

Part of me, or should I say all of me, wanted to say no. I wanted to say that I could stay as long as he wanted, but I also know how terribly I work on little sleep. I took a deep breath, looked at him disappointedly and nodded yes. "I suppose it's that time…" I added.

He reluctantly got up off the couch and took my hand as he grabbed his keys and led us out the door to the elevators. He stole a few kisses from me and me from him in the elevator on the way down to the parking garage. He held my hand the entire car ride back home, as we made small conversation. His thumb gently brushed over my hand often, and I reveled at the touch. I was in so deep after just one date.

We arrived back at my apartment and he chivalrously opened my car door after parking on the street. We went up to my floor and were outside my door when he spoke up.

"So," he started. "You'll let me call you?"

I laughed. "I'd love it if you called me. Plus, you never showed me your underwear drawer and I seem to remember a promise earlier tonight…"

He smiled and kissed me again, and the sparks were ignited for the hundredth time that night. It was over too soon.

"I had a great time tonight. Thank you so much for dinner, it turned out delicious." I wanted him to know just how much I enjoyed the night, so I kissed him again.

"I'll call you tomorrow. Have a great first day at work, Bella."

He made sure I was in the door and had it locked before walking down the hall and disappearing into the elevator. When I saw he was gone, I turned my back to the door and slid down, ending up sitting on the floor.

Tonight was unreal. I can't believe what an amazing time I had with Edward, and I definitely couldn't believe how much I wanted him. Could I hold out another date before practically pouncing on him?_ I hope so._

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A/N: So, do you want a quick rundown of the date from EPOV? Or should we just mosey on along with the story? It's completely up to you guys! Let me know what you want in your review. Thanks again for reading, I absolutely adore receiving all the input- both good and bad! It makes me so thankful for my awesome readers :)

-Mel


	7. Chapter 7

So yes, I know, it's been forever. Well...over a week anyway. I'm so very sorry. I have a final project and final exam tomorrow evening so I've been devoting most of my time to that (and work). Enough with excuses though! Onto the show!

Don't own itttt (or True Blood).

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EPOV

I drove home in a daze. Things couldn't have gone better, and I already couldn't wait to see her again.

She is a vixen; I am her slave. I thought I was going to have a heart attack with how excited she had me. I wonder what would have happened if she didn't have to work tomorrow. _No, don't push it. She deserves more._ It's almost too good to be true… way better than Tanya. What the hell did I ever see in her anyway? I suppose when I first met her she was quite nice, untainted by Hollywood. She's beautiful, yes… but Bella makes her look so… fake.

I didn't want to spoil my night with Bella by thinking about Tanya, so I blocked her from my thoughts. I kept running tonight through my head. I felt like a fool ogling her as she walked into the foyer. It literally took me about fifteen seconds to regain the ability to speak. When I finally could, all I blurted out was "Stunning"- which wasn't even an accurate word. She was way more than that. Her body is fucking incredible. I could tell she was fit on the plane, but seeing her in that dress… the way it hugged her unbelievably feminine curves… it was almost too much. All I wanted to do at that moment was run my fingers up and down her lithe body._ Shit. Might have to take matters into my own hands when I get back to the apartment… again. _I remember thinking something akin to that when I first saw her, and realizing that made me chuckle. _Vixen. _

I spent the remainder of the drive home thinking about her lips. I knew they'd be incredibly soft and supple, but in reality there were no words. She took the initiative after I placed a few suggestive kisses to her blazing cheeks. I couldn't resist her blush; I couldn't get enough. I thanked every deity when she kissed me. Little did she know that once she did that, the floodgates opened. I would never be satiated from kissing her, I know this. I wonder how everything else could be… will be. _I wonder if she blushes anywhere else…_

I took care of… issues, but even then I was left unsatisfied.

I felt bad for keeping Bella up so late since she had work in the morning; I was going to ask her to stay with me. Wait, I was? _You're in deep, Cullen._

After my cold shower I fell into a deep sleep.

I woke up the next day to my annoying phone ringing on the nightstand near my bed. I grabbed my phone without checking the caller ID and answered with a groggy "hello?"

"Eddie! What's up man? Were you sleeping?" Emmett's booming voice carried through the phone. Somehow, it was even more annoying today than usual.

"Yes, Emmett. What do you want?" I asked with a spot of venom laced into my question.

"Chill out dude- I just wanted to see if you were game for a night out tonight. Jas is in- you up for it? Be my wingman for the night?" I suddenly felt a little guilty for being rude to him since it was unwarranted. He continued, "Or do you have another date with Bellaaaaaa?" He half-yelled, half-moaned her name, trying to sound like Marlon Brando in _A Streetcar Named Desire_, although I'm not sure if he's ever seen it. The guilty feeling quickly vanished.

I shook my head to clear the weird thought of Em actually watching that movie and remembered he was being a dick.

"Whatever, Em. I don't have plans with her tonight you cock. But yeah, I'm up for going out." I finally said. I didn't have plans with her, but I knew she was going out. Perhaps we could run into each other…

"Cool. We'll be over around eight. I'll bring the Patrón. See ya dude!" Emmett said excitedly. He loved going out and meeting the ladies. He was no stranger to the one night stand, though neither was I. I remembered my conversation with Rosalie, her clipped voice leaving no space for bullshit. She was just what Em needed. I hung up the phone and glanced at the clock. Ten o'clock. Bella works until two today, maybe she would be going to lunch soon. I decided to text and find out.

**How's your first day going? The fruits and veggies behaving? -E**

After I sent it, I realized that could have come off badly. I hope she knew I was kidding. I heard the phone beep and opened my phone to view the text.

**Ha. Don't come crying to me when you run out of bananas. It's okay. Watching safety vids aplenty. On my first break now. What are you up to?-B**

I laughed, grateful she had a sense of humor.

**Just woke up. Are you getting lunch soon? Would you like company, or would that seem a little desperate considering I just saw you ten hours ago?-E**

Typically, even if I liked the girl- which wasn't very often, I still waited 72 hours to call for a second date. My phone beeped again.

**Totally desperate. Thought you'd never ask. I'd love company. 11:30-B**

I realized how completely moronic I must look, smiling into my phone. I wasn't sure how long she had for lunch, so I thought it would be nice to bring something with me so we wouldn't need to travel anywhere. I sent the last text and hopped into the shower.

**Great. I'll take care of lunch. See you soon-E**

At 11:25 I walked into the West LA Whole Foods grocery store where Bella worked. I glanced around, hoping to see that luscious brown hair somewhere near the entrance. I stood there looking around for a minute or two when I felt a small push from behind me and turned to see the culprit.

Once I turned around I made eye contact with deep brown eyes. I immediately smiled, earning one in response.

"Edward, hey" she grinned at me. I couldn't help but reach down and give her a hug, lifting her slighty and squeezing just before setting her down back to the floor.

"Bella. Shall we?" I held out my arm and cocked my eyebrow. She giggled and linked her arm with mine as we sauntered out of the store.

"Um, where do you want to go? I only have thirty minutes…" she looked disappointed. Little did she know that we weren't going anywhere.

"Actually," I started as I opened the passenger side for her. She jumped in and continued looking up at me, awaiting the rest of my response. "We're staying right here." Her eyebrow raised in confusion as I closed her door.

I ran to the trunk and grabbed the basket full of food, then made my way back to my car. I got into the driver's side seat and showed her the basket.

"Care for an in-car picnic?" I didn't really think it through- maybe she was allergic to something? Or didn't like what I made? Too late now I suppose…

"Aw, that's so sweet" She sweetly looked at me. "What'd you make? I'm starving!"

We spent the next twenty five minutes eating sandwiches, laughing, and just being goofy.

"Bella?" I asked, opening her door for her. "What are you doing tonight?"

"I'm going out with the girls, didn't I tell you? They want to celebrate this new 'amazing job' of mine." She rolled her eyes. I chose to ignore the eye roll, seeing as we only had five minutes until she had to go back to work.

"Well, I'm going out with Em and Jas tonight… I was thinking… my brother Emmett needs a girl like Rosalie. What do you think about trying to introduce the two of them?" I really hoped she would say yes, if just for the reason I'd get to see her tonight.

"Hm… is this your brother that plays for the LA Kings?"

"Yep" I answered.

"The one you said likes to joke and be goofy?" She asked.

"Yep"

"The one you said was a wild flirt and partier?"

I laughed. "Yes, Bella. That's the one. But he's not all crazy. He's got a really bit heart."

"Let's do it. Rose needs more fun in her life. But don't tell them it's a set up! That's like setting them up for failure." We laughed together and I agreed to keep it quiet.

I exhaled in relief. I would get to see her tonight, and hopefully Emmett and Rosalie would hit it off. I could see it either totally working, or being a total disaster.

I walked Bella back into the store, but not before stealing a little kiss before we walked through the automatic doors. Her lips were the same incredibly soft texture, and impossibly warm.

I walked back to my car completely blissed out, excited for tonight.

BPOV

Rose picked me up right at two o'clock. I definitely needed to find a car, and soon. I couldn't continue reaping the benefits of my very successful and wealthy friends… could I? No, I definitely needed to try this on my own, for the most part. I could at least afford a car. I don't need anything fancy, and something far from new would probably best fit my budget.

I hopped into Rose's bright red BMW Z4 and off we went.

"Thanks for the ride, Rose. I really appreciate"-I stopped talking when I looked over at her. She had a very disgruntled look on her face and definitely wasn't wearing the same thing she had on this morning. She was wearing a plain white t-shirt over the skirt she wore this morning. "Rose? You okay?" She was grinding her teeth and slightly shaking her head, most likely thinking about whatever was bothering her.

"Fucking men!" was all she said.

"Care to elaborate? Did something happen at work?" I prodded her gently for information. She finally glanced over at me and her face softened a bit.

"Sorry Bells, just work stuff. Sometimes I swear I'm going to drop all my male clients." She sighed deeply and shut her eyes for a second while we were at a red light.

"You want to talk about it?" I asked and rubbed her arm gently, trying to comfort her a bit.

"Maybe when we get home. I'm sorry, I'm a terrible friend- how was your first day at work?" The light turned green and we took of quickly towards our amazing apartment.

"Work was… well it was work. Just doing things that keep my hands busy so I'm given a lot of time to think, which is nice- I already thought of a new idea for a book." Rose's eyebrows perked up at that. She always supported me with my writing. I continued on describing my day. "Straighten apples, take away the bad fruit and veggies, cut fruit, wrap veggies. Easy."

"Well that's great. You ready to go out tonight? I'm in dire need of a drink." She said, rolling her eyes just as we pulled into the parking garage.

"Definitely. Edward said he might meet us with a couple friends, if that's okay with you?" I timidly asked. I hope she doesn't mind that I invited Edward.

"That sounds great! Wait, when did you talk to Edward? I thought you had work all day?" She smiled at me as she closed the door to her incredibly expensive convertible.

"I did, but Edward met up with me for lunch. He- he, packed a picnic and we had lunch in his car." I immediately began blushing just thinking about the farewell kiss he'd given me. I remembered vividly the way my new co-worker, Jessica ran over to me as soon as I stepped in the automatic doors.

"_Oh. My. God. Was that Edward Cullen?! Movie star?! Are you guys dating?! Spill Bella! I knew you looked familiar! He kissed you!" she exclaimed. Great, I thought. What should I say?_

_I opted to deny, deny, deny. At least until I talked to Edward about it._

"_No, Jess. That was, er," but before I could finish, our boss came over and all conversation was dropped._

"Aw, that's really sweet Bella. That sounds great… maybe he has a famous friend tagging along with him tonight!" Her mood immediately changed to uplifted and excited for tonight.

We walked into the apartment and after a quick shower- my hands and clothes were filthy with dirt from the food- we reconvened in the living room. We had a couple of hours before Alice came home, so Rose decided she wanted to polish our nails. I knew she had a hard day so I didn't give too much of a fuss. She got started, opting for a plum color for my toes. I took a breath and started with the inquisition.

"So, you want to tell me what happened at work?" I asked.

She looked up to me and sadly nodded. "Sure, but I can't guarantee I won't mess up your nails when I get angry…" She teased. I nodded supportively and she began.

"Well it all started today while I was at my desk. Jenny, one of the other PRs came to my office with a problem. She was having a hard time signing this athlete, and thought with my sports knowledge that I could really rein him in. I said I would give it a shot later on in the day since I knew he would be coming in. So I was on my lunch break, went to the cafeteria, and paid for my usual salad and coffee. After I paid the woman at the register, I turned and immediately ran into a wall- or so I thought. Turns out, it was the athlete Jenny was trying to convince to join my firm. I got so mad that I called him a 'jackass mother fucker'. I just freaked. I mean, how rude can one guy be? He just stood there looking like an idiot. The dick didn't even offer me a napkin or anything." She shook her head, possibly trying to rid her mind of the memory. "Anyway, my receptionist, John, saw that I'd spilled salad and the dressing and coffee all over my _Gucci_ suit, so he offered his undershirt to me for the rest of the day. Hence the shirt." She nodded her head over to the shirt that was currently laying on the living room floor.

"Wow, and he didn't even try to clean it up or anything?" I asked.

"No, he just stood there with a dumb fucking look on his face. Ugh!" She threw up her hands in disgust and got up.

"Where are you going?" I asked, confused.

"Bells, what did I tell you? Look at your toes- they're a wreck! I'm grabbing the polish remover." She called from the hallway. I looked down and laughed. My toes were practically all a deep purple. I heard a cabinet close and she was back into the living room in a flash.

"Needless to say, I really wanted to get out of there. So that's when I agreed to pick you up from work. There was no way I was going to even think about talking to that jerk." She looked at me and sighed. "It's really a shame, too. He was really cute." She smiled and pretty soon we were both giggling.

Once we were finished talking and doing our toenails, Alice walked through the door.

"Honeys, I'm hooome!" She called out.

"In here!" I yelled. After we watched an episode of True Blood we had missed last week, I started on dinner. I wanted to make something light since we'd be drinking tonight. I decided on flatbread pizzas that were both light and easy to make. Once we ate dinner, we began getting ready for the night. Alice seemed equally as excited about Edward bringing some friends along with him to meet up with us. We spent the next hour deciding on outfits, hair, and makeup, and quickly began to get ready. Rose made a pitcher of margaritas that we sipped on while we prepared for the crazy night ahead of us.

Alice decided on a look only she could pull off. She wore a super short black tube dress with a bustier, lace, and ruffles. She looked like a million bucks. She slicked her hair back and made her eyes incredibly sexy and smoky.

Rose picked out an amazing dress that was just so _Rosalie_. It was gold and shiny with one strap and was paired with black pumps. Her hair was down and straight and she wore bright red lips.

My dress was beautiful. It was black with a sweetheart neckline and had a large white print on it. It was perfect. I wore the same black pumps I wore the night before, and my hair was down in loose waves.

After one or two more drinks, we called for our cab. Fifteen minutes later, we left the house to what would be a truly… entertaining night.

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A/N: Sorry to cut it short, but it really was the best place to stop. I have pictures of the girls' outfits in my profile as well as Rosalie's sweet ride. Also, Bella's dress from Ch 6 is up there too.

A/N2: Do you want the going out night in EPOV or BPOV? Maybe a little of both? Let me know in your review, per ujje. Seriously every single review I get- no matter what it says- makes me so happy. I just can't believe people enjoy something I'm creating!

A ton of stuff happens next chap y'all... stay tuned! And review!!!

-Mel


	8. Chapter 8

So I know it's been forever, but I really did not have much free time just to think and write. But here I am with the longest chapter so far with over 6600 words! It changes POV from time to time. This is the only chapter that will bounce around in that way, just an FYI... unless I get some requests :) Also, the outfits can be seen at my profile, per ujje. Enjoy!

Don't own itttt....

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BPOV

We arrived at Whiskey Blue at ten o'clock. At first I didn't know why we were pulling up to the W Hotel, but Alice explained the bar was inside. We walked in and I was blown away. The place was so wide open. Beautiful people sat along the immense bar, ordering their overpriced cocktails. The ambience was stellar.

"Grab a seat girls, I'll go get our drinks!" Alice said as she sashayed off to the bar.

Rosalie and I found an empty table close to the bar and sat down.

"Wow, this place is beautiful." I said in awe. I looked around at the exposed beams. This place had room upon room of swanky furniture. The beautiful wait staff were buzzing around, delivering bottles and cocktails. The music was quieter than a club, but was still upbeat.

"Yeah, this is where all the A-listers hang out. Maybe we'll see someone tonight!" Rose added excitedly. "Hopefully Eddie-boy will bring someone worth talking to. I'm sick of shallow LA men."

"Rose, it's hard for men. You're a fucking goddess."

"But still! My eyes are up here!" she laughed.

I smiled at her and felt my purse vibrate. I looked at my phone and saw I had one new text message. I opened my phone and read it.

**Having fun? Where are you ladies?-E**

I smiled and answered.

**Yes! Whiskey Blue the W. You?-B**

**My place. Feel like dancing? Meet at Mood at 11. Have a surprise for you.-E**

I sucked in a deep breath, anxious for what would come of our night together. I sent back my reply and closed my phone.

**We'll be there. I hate surprises.-B**

Alice came back a few minutes later with Cosmopolitans for the three of us. I told them about meeting up with Edward and his friends and they readily agreed. I also told them about Edward's cryptic last text as we wondered aloud what it could be.

"Well all I can say is I hope he didn't spend any money on it. The last thing I need is him to think I'm with him to be lavished in gifts." I murmured. Plus, if I was being honest with myself, it just made me uncomfortable. I tend to favor the more simple things in life.

"Why the hell not, Bell? It doesn't have to be the reason why, but it can definitely be a perk!" Rose reasoned with me. She was used to men falling all over themselves in their attempts to woo her. It wasn't a normal day without someone sending her flowers at work or to the apartment from what I've heard.

Forty minutes and just about as many hilarious stories from our college days later, we got up to leave. Whiskey Bar was a great place, but we were definitely in the mood to dance.

We collectively got up and walked out the door. Alice was about to call a cab when I noticed a limo parked right in front of the hotel. The driver was holding a sign that read: Bella, Rosalie, Alice.

"Holy crap!" Rose yelled. She ran over to the limo and introduced herself to the driver. I immediately knew it was from Edward.

"Oh God… he didn't have to do this." I grumbled. Alice looked at me sympathetically but then perked up.

"Come on Bella, it's obvious he wants to spoil you a little. He just wants you and your amazingly hot" -she winked- "girlfriends to have fun! Plus it beats hailing a cab!" she exclaimed and ran over to the limo driver, also introducing herself. I took a calming breath and walked to the driver as well.

After I introduced myself to the driver, Willy, we hopped in. He already knew where he was taking us and assured us it would only be about a fifteen minute drive with the traffic. I saw there was a bottle of ___Dom Pérignon champagne that Willy had already uncorked for us. Rose filled the three glasses just as Willy closed our door and soon enough we were off._

___I took a look around the inside of the limo and noticed a little card near the ice bucket for the wine. I tentatively pulled it out and opened it._

_"__Ooh! Read it out loud Bella! I want to hear his mushy words!" Alice yelled giddily. I furrowed my eyes as I looked at her and thought about pulling it closer to my body so she couldn't take it, but Rose swiped it right out of my hands before I got the chance._

_"__Hey!" I yelled. I wasn't really mad, but I would have liked to read it first to er… see if it needed to be censored._

_"__Oh don't get your panties in a twist, B." Rose cleared her throat and began reading the little card._

_"__Bella, thinking of you. Congratulations on your new job, I'll be seeing you soon. Drink up and celebrate, _à la vôtre,___ Edward." She closed it and gave it to me, and I placed it in my purse._

_"__A la v_ô___tre? What's that?" I asked._

_"__Basically it means 'cheers'. It's French." Rose explained._

_"__Oooh! He knows French? That's hot Bells!" Alice giggled. I couldn't disagree. I imagined him speaking French to me… wow. Hot. Just then Rose spoke up._

_"__Ladies, I want to make a toast." We all raised our glasses as I felt the limo pull away from the curb. "To lasting friendships, new men, and to Bella. Without you, we aren't home." She looked at me with a sincerity rarely seen on Rose. She was tough as nails and rarely let her guard down. It was nice to know she appreciated my friendship in much the same way I appreciated hers and Alice's. We clinked our glasses and took a lingering sip of the amazing champagne._

_"__Now let's get drunk!" Alice yelled. We made catcalls and hurriedly drank the bottle of expensive alcohol._

___No guy has ever gone out of their way to make sure I had a good time. I wasn't pleased with the amount of money he spent on me, but the sentiment was loud and clear. Maybe this could be something long lasting… I felt incredibly optimistic about the night ahead of us._

___I took out my phone and sent my text to Edward._

___**In the limo. Thank you for the amazing card. You're in so much trouble…-B**_

___EPOV_

___When I got home from my lunch from Bella I was on a high. I hopped on the treadmill and ran eight miles before even realizing it. I showered and made a few business calls before making something for dinner. I changed into a dark pair of pants and a button-up that I folded up to my elbows. I didn't even try with my hair- it had a mind of its own._

___I couldn't wait to see Bella tonight. She was just so down to earth and easy to be with. It seemed… right. She actually appreciated the little things- sandwiches? An in-car picnic? She seemed so excited and touched by my makeshift lunch date. __Plus, kissing her is always amazing and if that's what I have to do in order to get one…_

___I decided right then and there that a woman like her doesn't come along every day and I should take advantage of the opportunity before she slips away. So many men in LA would realize how amazing she was, and I couldn't help my jealousy from seeping through as I thought about that happening. I wanted her. Needed her. I needed to talk to her about what we were doing. I know it's soon but in my line of work it's difficult to keep your private life private. I need to see if she's up for it. If she is… then we can actually be seen together and not be afraid to get caught by cameras. If she wasn't up for it… then I'd just have to try to change her mind._

___Before I knew it, it was after eight and Em and Jas were entering my apartment._

_"__Bro! You ready to get rowdy?" Emmett shouted as he held a large bottle of Patrón in the air. I looked over to Jasper, who was already in my kitchen and cutting the limes for the tequila shots._

_"__Hell yeah." I remarked. I got out three shot glasses from the cupboard and Em poured three very full shots._

_"__To tonight!" Jasper yelled. We shot the tequila and I relaxed as I felt the warmth of the alcohol all through my body._

___I put my glass down as Em refilled them. "So what were you guys up to today?" I asked conversationally. Em paled a bit at my question and I immediately knew something was up. Jasper seemed to sense it, too._

_"__Em? You alright?" He asked._

_"__Yeah, I'm cool. I just kind of had a run in with someone and it was the weirdest thing." He shook his head._

_"__Well? What was it?" I asked. We clinked our shot glasses together and I welcomed the warmth yet again. Emmett took a small inhale as he began his story._

_"__Okay, well you know how I'm in talks with my contract. Well, my agent thought I should get a new PR person to handle all the questions from the media." Jas and I nodded to him and he continued. "So today they were going to send someone over to talk to me. They sent some chick over to see me and I just wasn't feeling her at all. She was hot, yeah, but she didn't know the first thing about hockey… and I know it's not required but I just wasn't connecting to her at all. I told her thanks but no thanks, and she immediately recommended the owner. Said she was a real sports lover or whatever. So I caved and agreed to meet with her."_

_"__So what, the chick that knew a lot about sports looked more like a dude?" Jasper joked. We both laughed._

_"__No you dick. So I was in the cafeteria at this PR place because I was starving and hadn't eaten in two hours. I was checking out the grub when I saw this chick with the most beautiful ass I've ever seen; she was in line paying for her food. I couldn't help it- I just walked right up behind her like some fucking creepster. After she paid, she turned around and ran right into me. Her shit went everywhere. Coffee all over her outfit and everything."_

_"__So what happened? Did she turn out to be ugly or something?" I asked, because Emmett could be a dick sometimes and that stuff mattered to him._

_"__The opposite. She was fucking perfect. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I just froze, dude. I didn't even help her pick up her shit. I couldn't. I just stared like an asshole. She ran off just when I realized what a cock I was being." He shook his head as if trying to rid his mind of the memory of his asshole behavior._

_"__That's cold, Em." I said. Jas quickly filled our shot glasses again and we downed them. We needed to after hearing that story. After we drank them down, Em immediately filled them back up and we had another, for his sake. He didn't even use the lime. "So how did your meeting with the owner go?" I remembered he said something about that. My head was becoming somewhat hazy from the alcohol._

_"__That's the thing. I never got to go to it because… er… thatwastheowner." I could have sworn I heard him wrong._

_"__Come again?" Jas asked. Although I think he heard it right, too._

_"__I said… that was the owner." At that, Jas and I cracked up laughing, because only Emmett could get himself into a situation like that._

___A few minutes later, after he finished hurling profanity Jasper's and my way, Em spoke up._

_"__I signed with her company. I just needed to see her again, even if she hates me for being an absolute dick."_

_"__Well, you better get ready to kiss some ass and apologize, bro." Jasper responded._

___A few shots and four games of pool later, it was going on 10. I ran the idea of Bella and her two friends meeting up with us, and the guys seemed cool with it. They really wanted to meet the infamous Bella._

___I texted Bella to see where she was and what time she wanted to meet up. I called my favorite chauffer company and set them up to pick Bella, Rosalie, and Alice at the W Hotel at 10:45. I also added a card and their best champagne to be waiting for them. It was a celebratory night, after all._

___The guys and I called a cab and we on our way when I received another text from Bella._

___**In the limo. Thank you for the amazing card. You're in so much trouble…-B**_

___In trouble? I ran my text conversation by the guys to see if they could decipher why I would be in trouble._

_"__Edward, you idiot. She obviously doesn't want you to spend money on her. It's just reinforcing that you'll eventually start to think she's using you for your money. Plus, this Bella gal doesn't seem like the type of girl that likes fancy living. Just go easy on the gifts, man." Jasper explained. Wow, no wonder he's such a sought after Psychologist. __I'm an idiot____._

_"__Well, I should be allowed to spoil her, especially because I know she isn't like that. But yeah, I'll hold out a little longer before I splurge on her."_

_"__Ha, okay man." Em said unbelievingly as he patted my back. "Whatever you say."_

___We pulled up to Mood and were immediately let in. Bella should be here soon. The guys went up to the VIP room and I went to grab some drinks. Some woman walked up to me wearing way too much perfume and not nearly enough clothes. I was too polite to tell her to get lost, but she was really getting on my nerves. I kept checking my watch and was just about to tell her to get lost when I looked over to the door. Bella stood there looking like everything I could ever want. She was gorgeous. I walked over, completely leaving the tacky, flirty woman in the dust._

___BPOV_

___We turned the music up loud and partied the whole way. After what felt like a million years, we pulled up to Mood. The line was going out the door and I was immediately disheartened. I looked at the clock on my phone and saw it was already eleven. Getting through this line would take at least half an hour._

___Instead of leading us to the back of the line, however, Rose led us to the front._

_"__Rose, we can't cut in front of all these people…" I was uncomfortable the way she was assuming we would get right in. We would look like absolute idiots when we were turned away and told to wait in line. Actually, I knew Rose and Alice would get in right away. It would be me that got turned away, having to listen to the girls in line snicker as I made my way down to the end of the line._

_"__Bells, relax. If I know anything about Edward, it's that he was prepared for this." Rose told me in an annoyed tone. She walked to the doorman and told him our names. A flicker of recognition flashed on his face as he said, "Go on in ladies. Have a great night."_

___We thanked him and went in. __That was unexpected. ____I turned around as we walked in and saw the bouncer eyeing the three of us. __Maybe I can hang with Rose and Al after all… ____I smiled to myself and I felt my confidence grow._

___I glanced around the huge space and saw him immediately across the room. He looked amazing; he had on black plants with black dress shoes. A deep blue button-up framed his broad shoulders, and his hair was its usually messy bronze. I saw a woman talking to him, but didn't recognize her. She was absolutely gorgeous, and I could tell she was trying to get with Edward. I immediately felt like a fool, and the recently acquired confidence dissipated immediately._

_"__Come on, let's go you guys…" I felt my face flush hot and I wanted nothing more than to cry. I turned but was stopped by Alice's freakish strength._

_"__What? Bella, wait. Look at his face. Look at his whole demeanor." Alice urged. I didn't want to look over there again, but she nudged me and I caved. It was then I actually noticed what he was doing. His body language was obviously uncomfortable… he was looking anywhere but to the skanky woman attempting to lure him in. He constantly checked his watch. He looked to be waiting for someone. __For me?____ He was… not enjoying himself. He looked like he wanted nothing else than to be talking to her. Even his facial expression was one of distaste. I couldn't believe the skank didn't notice his discomfort. I began to laugh._

_"__See? He's obviously wishing he could get out of there. I think he's just too nice to just walk away." Rose added. We all laughed, and I felt so relieved. I need to grow up if I'm even thinking about having a relationship with this man. Girls would always be throwing themselves at Edward, but he wants __me._

___Just then, he glanced over to me. I gasped as our eyes locked, and his aggravated expression turned into the most blindingly beautiful smile. He turned and walked towards me, completely ignoring Skank's protests. She looked where he was walking and saw me. She skulked off, but not before giving me a nasty look. I couldn't care less._

___Quicker than I thought possible, Edward was in front of me. I smelled him before he even got here, and I could literally feel him when I first walked into the club. His presence demanded my attention. I hadn't known him long by any means, but it just felt right. I inhaled his masculine scent as he stopped right in front of me. He was inches from me, his eyes still locked with mine and his bright smile still showing his happiness to see me._

_"__Bella" He said. I still couldn't get over his voice. It was perfect. He took my arm with his hand and leaned in so that only I could hear what he was about to say. He breathed into my ear in a low voice, "You look incredibly sexy, you know." He pulled back and his lips kissed me lightly- far too lightly- on my cheek. He pulled away just enough so that our eyes met again. The way he was looking at me was positively sinful. I could feel the wetness pooling between my legs. Nobody's ever done that to me by saying fewer than ten words. Hell, nobody's ever done that to me saying even a million words._

_"__E-Edward." I stammered. My heart was beating a million miles per hour. __Get a grip, Bella! Say something… anything! ____But I couldn't. My mind was a useless pulp. I was still trying to regain my composure when I heard Edward introduce himself to my friends._

_"__You must be Rosalie." He took her hand and placed a small kiss on the back of it. "You don't have any pliers in your purse, do you?" He joked. Rose looked surprised at this and they had a nice laugh. He then looked to Alice._

_"__And you must be Alice. It's nice to meet you both." He said sincerely as he kissed her hand the same way he kissed Rosalie's._

_"__Ladies, a couple of my friends are up in the VIP lounge. I have it reserved all night, so enjoy it as long as you like." He said calmly._

_"__Great, thanks! Rose, want to go grab a drink and head up there?" Alice asked enthusiastically. Rose agreed and they gave us some alone time._

_"__See you soon, Bells!" Rose added as they walked away._

___I smiled as they walked off and turned back to Edward, who was smirking at me._

_"__What?" I asked._

_"__You just look… amazing." He stepped forward to reach his arm around my waist and pulled me towards him. "I'm not sure I'll be able to remain a gentleman much longer with you looking this sexy, Isabella." The way he said my full name triggered something in me. I'm not sure what it was about Edward saying it, but I was ready to leave Mood. I quickly caught his lips in a kiss and wrapped my arms around his neck. I could tell he was surprised but he quickly collected himself and squeezed his hand even tighter around my waist, his other hand making its way to my hair and pressing me harder to his lips. The kiss ended too briefly, our foreheads touching as we gasped for breath._

_"__Bella," he said, still forehead to forehead. "As much as I want to take you home with me right now, we can't leave our friends. Remember them?" He stepped away from me, but not before placing a small kiss on my blushing cheek. "Plus, we have to see if Em and Rosalie hit it off." _

___I reluctantly agreed as he took my hand and pulled me along with him to the VIP section._

We walked up the stairs and toward the table, where I saw Alice, Rose, and two men who I assumed were Jasper and Emmett… but something wasn't right.

EmPOV

Jasper and I were in the VIP section having a great time. We downed our fair share of tequila at Eddie's place, so we were already pretty tipsy when a cute waitress sent up a bottle of Belvedere. I asked for a couple bottles of Miller Lite to chase the shots we were about to take.

"Hey Jas, you think that chick is one of Bella's friends?" I pointed over to a tiny woman with spiky black hair. She was pretty hot, but too small for my taste. Now, that chick from the PR firm… _that_ was my type. Dead fucking on.

I thought back to when I first saw her. Her ass. Her _fucking _ass. God damn it was perfection. She had a body like a 1950's pinup girl. A perfectly tiny waist and when she turned around I saw just how amazing the rest of her was. Her tits were pouring out of her shirt, but she didn't look trashy. She looked… powerful. I could see myself visiting her in her office and fucking her against her door… bending her over her desk.

I realized my thoughts were running away from me so I adjusted myself and focused back to Bella's cute friend.

I saw Jasper lean over to take a look at the small woman walking up the stairs. She saw me first and gave an open, friendly smile.

"Hi, I'm Alice!" She exclaimed. I wondered briefly if she did a line of coke before leaving The W or something, but thought maybe she was just always this hyper.

I stood up and towered over her. "Hi, I'm Emmett. Damn, you're tiny!" I couldn't help it- my mental filter, what little there was to begin with, always left me when I tossed a few back. She laughed along with me as we shook hands. She looked over to Jasper at the same time as me, and I noticed he had a… look.

He was staring at Alice like a fat kid stares at a fucking donut shop. _He fucking wants her! Hell yeah Jas, go get her!_ I looked over to Alice and noticed she was looking at him with a similar expression. I watched their introduction and it seemed like they just fucking clicked or some shit like that. Hey, maybe Alice was into the whole intellectual dude. Movement from the top of the stairs caught my eye and I froze in place.

I've got to be fucking hammered if I'm seeing her right now.

Up the stairs in a shimmery gold dress was the woman I'd been thinking about for the last eight hours. She stepped seductively up the stairs in her impossibly short dress and I almost lost it when I noticed her crimson lips_. I wouldn't mind seeing that lipstick on my dick… _Okay, focus.

I watched as she noticed Alice and Jasper first, especially since I hadn't moved a fucking inch since I realized she was actually _here_, walking up the stairs.

Alice finally realized other shit was happening outside her and Jas' little world and introduced my wet dream to Jasper.

"Rose, this is Jasper Whitlock." Alice said Jasper's name like it was the God damned answer to every question. They shook hands and that's when it happened. I braced myself.

"And this is Emmett McCarthy. Emmett, this is mine and Bella's friend and roommate, Rosalie Hale." Her eyes shifted to mine and instantly morphed from friendly and open to… bitch. I can't lie. I was scared shitless.

"You!" Rosalie started. Her face reddened and her perfectly manicured hands tightened into fists._ Shit. She's even hotter when she's pissed off…_

"I'm sorry!" I threw my hands up defensively, because I wouldn't doubt she's the type of girl that throws a mean right hook, and immediately went for the apology in hopes that it could all be water under the bridge. There wasn't even a snowball's chance in hell.

BPOV

Edward and I walked up the stairs to the VIP area and I quickly noticed two things. One, Alice and some guy, who I assumed to be Jasper, were talking very closely. They seemed to be getting along… _didn't see that one coming_. The second thing I noticed was that Rose was absolutely laying into a huge muscular guy I assumed to be Emmett. I can see why he's such a stud on the ice, Jesus he was ripped.

Edward and I exchanged confused looks at one another and walked close enough to hear what all the yelling was about.

"The least you could have done was help me clean it up you jackass! You didn't even apologize!" Rose screamed. I put two and two together, and from the look on his face, Edward did too.

"Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it I just- I don't know. I froze. I feel like shit about it. But you didn't have to be a complete bitch about it." Emmett said. He seemed to realize immediately how much shit he was in after he said that. He was apologizing, but you don't ever call Rosalie Hale a bitch.

"A bitch? You're calling me a bitch? I ought to stick my stiletto straight through your dick hole! That was a God damn Gucci suit you huge fucking ape!" She spat back. Just when I thought Emmett was going to respond, Rose dumped her ruby colored drink over his white shirt and she quickly walked off saying, "Now we're even." She flipped him the bird just as she turned the corner.

I looked over to Edward, who was looking at me with a worried expression. "I better go see how she is. She gets pretty fired up." Edward nodded and kissed my cheek.

"Would you like me to go with you?" He offered. He took my hand, kissed it, and I was immediately calmer.

I was about to answer him with a 'thanks, but no thanks' when I heard Emmett.

"Bella, it's nice to meet you. Sorry we had to meet like this, but I'd like to go after her, okay? I'll play nice. I promise." He was looking into my eyes with a pleading expression. I looked over to Edward, who nodded that it was okay to let him get her.

"Okay, but you better make things right Emmett. She was so pissed after what you did to her! And tell her to call me, or call Edward to let us know what's up." I was accustomed to her temper and knew she would eventually calm down, but if Emmett thought he could calm her down then by all means, buddy.

He hurriedly walked off to find my best friend.

I turned towards Edward. "Well that was exciting. Who knew the athlete at work that Rose was talking about would turn out to be your brother?" I had to laugh a little at the irony.

"Yeah, but do you know why he didn't help her out or say anything to her?" He asked. I shook my head and he continued. His eyes invaded mine, and I saw raw passion. He was looking into me. "He said when he first saw her, time stopped. He was frozen in place. He couldn't move or say anything because he'd never seen anyone so beautiful in his entire life. I told him I knew exactly how he felt." Edward looked down at the last part and I could have sworn he was blushing. I couldn't help it; I threw my arms around him and kissed him with all that I had. This man would be the death of me… but I don't mind it as long as I have him with me. I finally released him and he looked amazed. He smirked. "My little Bella. Who knew you could be such a go getter?" he teased. I lightly punched him and we laughed together. It was so easy falling in love with him.

His face turned serious for a moment before he added, "Do you really think she'll be okay?" He looked down at me with questioning eyes. They quickly changed to mischief and he lightly laughed before saying, "I'd hate for Emmett to never be able to have children. I'd like to be an uncle some day." I smiled at him and answered.

"Yeah, she'll be okay. She's got a bad temper, but once she forgives, she forgets. Maybe Emmett is perfect for her after all." I knew she would be fine. I decided to look for her in a little bit and see how she was doing.

Edward and I sat down and I was introduced to Jasper, who had seemed to already stake a claim on little Alice- not that she seemed to mind.

"Okay, how about a little toast?" Edward announced between the four of us. We all agreed and Jasper began filling shot glasses with the clear Belvedere vodka. Once we all had one in our hand, he continued. "To new friends, er… etc." He looked over to where Rose and Emmett walked off. We laughed and said 'cheers'.

After a couple more shots, Alice insisted we dance. She basically dragged us all to the loud dance floor and I could tell she was tipsy. Hell, I was tipsy. I would have never danced the way I dance with Edward had I not been a little drunk. I'm not a bad dancer, but I'm certainly not great. Tonight it didn't seem to matter, though. As soon as we got out on the floor he stood behind me and grabbed my hips. His hands slid up and down my body seductively, and I almost forgot where we were. I turned around to face him and he pulled me as close as possible to his hard body. We never skipped a beat as we swayed to the music. My hands made their way up from his hands on my hips all the way up his muscular arms and to his neck. They moved to his hair and I tugged lightly, causing him to close his eyes and release a moan. Nothing was sexier. That is, until he opened his eyes. They were so intensely gazing into mine, staying connected as I felt his strong hands slide down my hips and grab my ass. Now it was my turn to moan. He stopped dancing, hands still on my ass as I watched his face lean towards me. Slowly, so slowly, his lips moved to my cheek, skimming it all the way to my ear lobe. I felt his hot breath on my ear and heard him whisper, "Two can play at that game, Isabella." I gasped and he nibbled my ear gently. I didn't know how much more I could take before I jumped him in this packed club.

"E-Edward…" I moaned his name as I felt his lips slide from my ear down to my neck where I felt a nibble there. I instinctively pushed my body into his and he pushed back, still cupping my ass. I felt his hard erection on my sensitive clit. His hand moved around from my ass to my upper thigh and he began slowly moving it up and underneath my dress hem. I threw my head back in pleasure. My entire body was extremely sensitive to the touch, from his touch. I couldn't wait to get out of here.

He read my mind.

"Bella, I can't stay here with you any longer without acting incredibly indecent." His hand, still on my upper thigh, gripped me tighter as he looked down at my exposed leg. His thumb moved lightly over my inner thigh and he looked up at my gasp with the most gorgeous pair of sex eyes I've ever seen. It felt incredibly empowering to see him look at me this way. "Come home with me. Please." I couldn't and wouldn't say no to him. It was then I remembered Rose and how terrible of a friend I am for not looking sooner.

"Rose…" I said to him.

"Look behind you." He said as he kissed my neck again. I turned around and saw Rose and Emmett dancing together. They seemed to get over their… issues… and were fine. I looked back to Edward and nodded. "Let's go." I tried not to sound too eager, but I was pretty drunk and very horny. Edward chuckled and nodded.

"Let's say goodbye to our friends first." He mentioned. We walked over to our friends who were all dancing together.

After talking to Rose and making sure she was okay, I hugged them goodbye and promised to dish to them in the morning. They assured me they would be fine and to have a great time. I said goodbye to Emmett and Jasper, and Edward grabbed my hand as we made our way to the exit. Just as we were about to walk out, Edward stopped me. His face turned serious.

"Bella," he started. He sounded very apprehensive. "There will most likely be paparazzi outside. If you want, we can try to get out the back way. Or, if you'd like, we can walk out separately. It's up to you."

I looked at him, trying to decipher his words. It was difficult especially since I'd been drinking. _Do _you_ really want to be seen with _me_?_ I asked in my head.

"Yes. Very much, Bella. I don't care who sees us together." He kissed my cheek chastely.

_Shit!_

"Did I really just say that out loud?" I asked. "Oh God…" My hands made their way up to my face and I looked down to the ground, completely embarrassed.

I felt Edward's hands take mine away from my face. I timidly looked up to his gorgeous face and saw him smiling.

"Ready to do this?" He looked at me excitedly, maybe he really did want this after all? Who am I to judge?

"Let's do it!" I yelled and kissed him one more time for good measure. We walked out of the exit smiling, hand in hand.

People were still lining outside to get in, and the paparazzi were snapping pictures like their life depended on it. I looked over to Edward to see what he would do and I couldn't help but smile when I saw his face. He looked like he won the fucking lottery. Because of me! _Just enjoy it Bella, quit being a wet fucking blanket._ So I stopped- and enjoyed the shit out of myself.

His arm was draped around me as we walked down the sidewalk, waiting to get a cab. We decided to leave the limo for Rose and Alice, since neither of us minded taking a cab to Edward's apartment. As we walked down the road, paps all over were snapping pictures and asking questions.

"Having a good night Edward? Who's your lady friend?" One man asked.

Edward looked at me and chuckled. He maintained eye contact with me as he answered.

"Her name is Isabella Swan. And yes, I'm having an amazing night." We smiled at each other and continued walking. Edward spotted a cab and we began walking towards it.

"Isabella, how do you feel about Edward Cullen?" Another man asked. Edward was opening the cab door for me when he heard the question. He stopped and looked at me, blocking entrance into the cab.

"Well? Aren't you going to answer Bella?" He teased. I could have killed him! If he didn't have the cutest fucking expression on his face, he would have been a dead man. _Two can play at that game_.

I looked over to the man who asked me the question.

"Well, don't you think Edward should answer that first?" I looked over to Edward, and his eyes bulged out of his head. He was shocked that I would offer him up to the paparazzi so easily, and I almost felt guilty. Almost. What little guilt I felt immediately evaporated when I saw his face turn into a mischievous smirk.

In an instant, his arms were around me and I was being dipped incredibly low to the ground. I let out a small squeal before I felt Edward's lips press eagerly against mine. I closed my eyes and soon forgot there were people taking our picture. All that mattered was us. My hands once again found purchase in his hair and I pulled him closer. He pulled back after a few seconds leaving me breathless. I looked at him in a daze and saw his adorable grin was in place. He kissed my cheek and looked to the paps.

"Does that answer your question?" He looked over to me and took my hand as he helped me into the cab. He kissed my hand and then closed the door, running around to the other side. He hopped in and gave the driver the destination address.

Just as we were about to pull away, I heard the same man ask through my open window, "Wait! How do you feel about Edward, Isabella?"

_Screw over-thinking things_. "Ditto!" I yelled as the cab pulled away into the night.

I glanced over to Edward, who gave me a blinding smile as we rode toward his apartment.

* * *

A/N: So I hope you all enjoyed the lastest installment of LA Bella. I'm having a lot of fun writing it. It all seems sunshine and rainbows now, but that'll have to change soon. It wouldn't be a story, people! Don't fret, I love me some E&B HEA-ness. Also, I noticed in two of my last chapters, there was a spelling error. Very irksome- sorry about that! Leave me love (or criticisms!) I'm open to it all. Thanks again for reading, dolls :)

-Mel


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